Katniss, The Vampire Slayer
by Ellana-san
Summary: "Into each generation a slayer is born." Haymitch mocked. "One girl in all the world. Ain't I just lucky it had to be you." / Buffy AU - no knowledge of the show necessary / Everlark / Hayffie
1. E1: Katniss the vampire Slayer (1)

_Hello!_

 _So here is my new big project! This will be a series of short stories (a few chapters each) based on a Buff the Vampire Slayer au. I though the whole thing like a TV show season of sort so there is a main plot but there are also side plots/monster of the week episodes. I'm sure this au had probably been explored before (though I haven't read any of them) but I want to stress this isn't a copy/paste of the Buffy TV show, I only borrowed the rules of that universe and adapted them to a Hunger Games AU._

 _ **No knowledge of Buffy is necessary**_ _– I tried to explain every concept as I went along the story and my beta isn't versed in Buffy so hopefully if anything is confusing we will catch it and explain it._

 _As for ships – because I know you that's what you're interested in – I would rather avoid a "Into that good night" debacle so let me say it clearly here: there will be Everlark and there will be hayffie as well as a touch of Katniss/Gale. All pretty much canon-like. Every "episode" in the series won't deal with each ship and character equally – which means there will be episodes leaning heavily toward everlark and others more hayffie oriented. You're warned ;)_

 _For the more hayffie interested people (which is everyone who reads me usually) Effie does not appear in the first story (8 chapters) but yes there will be hayffie later and hayffie will kick_ so much _ass. (I'm having a lot of fun writing hayffie kicking demon ass and being awesome, you have no idea)_

 _I'm having a lot of fun writing this I will admit and I hope you will have fun too! It's a bit of crack and a bit of angst and slow burns and romance and a lot of papa!Haymitch and mama!Effie feels and vampires and demons on top. I hope you will follow me on the crazy journey ;)_

 _I am going to publish this as a series on tumblr and AO3 (so maybe subscribe to the series not to miss an episode?) but I will publish everything in the same place on FF for convenience sake since they don't have handy series tools._

 _Thanks to akachankami for the beta, as usual!_

 _I'm excited! Are you excited?_

* * *

 _ **Katniss, the Vampire Slayer**_

* * *

 **1.**

* * *

The irony was not lost on Katniss. Not at all.

 _Get home before dark,_ she had told Prim countless times, _it's dangerous outside. There are monsters in the shadows._

Prim would always laugh and tell her she wasn't a baby anymore to believe in monsters but that she would always come back before dark anyway. And, of course, Prim being Prim, she never broke that promise.

Katniss, now…

Katniss needed to find food _somewhere_ and since she had already been picked up one time to many by the police nicking from various shops around town, that meant roaming the woods with an archery bow that was meant for _school competitions_ and not _hunting_ in hopes she would eventually find a rabbit, a squirrel or something that would fill her sister's belly. And her mother's too if she could get her to care about the world outside her head for long enough to _eat_. And, once that was done, maybe there would be some left for her.

She should have headed back home as soon as the sky had darkened, even if it was with an empty bag. Gale had made her sworn she wouldn't stay in the woods at night without him and, while she had scoffed and told her only friend she could handle herself, she was starting to get why he didn't want her alone in there.

The woods felt weird.

She knew those woods, that was the thing. Her father used to take her there every week-end before the accident, before he _died_. He had shown her every path, every clearing, every nook and every stream… They used to sing together on the very same path she was walking on and the memory of those better days was so strong that, for a second, she was almost tempted to hum to dispel the weird hush around her.

But she knew humming would be a bad, _bad_ idea.

She could feel eyes on her. There was a tickling sensation running down her neck, every hair on her body was raised and there was goosebump on her skin despite the heavy leather jacket that used to belong to her father. She forced herself to relax and shifted her handle on the bow – the only thing she owned that was a tiny bit expensive and she would have sold it ten times if it hadn't been necessary for them to get some meat now and then – peering at the trunks around her. She couldn't see anything between the trees.

But she couldn't _hear_ anything either. No chirping of birds. No rustling of bushes. None of the usual wildlife noises.

She felt like a prey.

There were some dangerous things in those woods. Bobcats, a coyote or two… Bigger wild cats, maybe… A bear or two further up the mountain… A pack of wolves was possible… But they hardly ever attacked _humans_ despite common misconceptions and they would have had to be as starved as she was to come after her.

She quickened her pace, kissing tonight's meal goodnight. There were still some cereals left, Prim would have to do with that for now. But her sister needed _proteins_ …

She was pondering the wisdom of trying to snatch something from the old gas station at the edge of town while the cashier was occupied when she felt the presence _just_ behind her.

One second it wasn't there, the next the tingles at the base of her neck were going wild and she swirled around, arrow notched and ready to fly. She was holding her breath and let it out in a long puff when she recognized the girl in the dark.

"Clove?" she frowned. "That's your name, right?"

They were in Biology together but Clove was popular and thus part of a clique whereas Katniss tended to hang at the back of the classroom waiting for time to pass.

The girl's dark hair parted a little when she tilted her head to the side, revealing an odd sort of wound on her neck. It looked like a little like a bite or a scratch or a mix of both.

"You're hurt." Katniss frowned, finally lowering her bow with some irritation. _This_ was why she had been forced to interrupt her hunt? _This_ was why she had been scared senseless for the past ten minutes, berating herself for telling her sister scary stories that made _her_ jumpy? " How did you end up here? Did you get lost?"

"Bonny and Twill brought me here." Clove finally answered with one of those blinding smiles that kind of girls flashed all the time. Katniss often wondered how much they spent on whitening their teeth and how long she could have made that money last to keep her sister clothed and fed.

"I don't know them." Katniss shrugged, already bored with the conversation. "Do you need me to show you out?"

"I'm waiting for my friends." The girl smiled again, the moon briefly reflecting on her white teeth.

Katniss told herself they did _not_ look like fangs.

"Okay." She shrugged. "Well, I'm going, then."

"I don't think so. They said it's my turn to bring a snack." Clove replied, her tone turning a little sadistic.

Katniss sighed and lifted her hands, bow and all, too used to the big bullies to even be surprised. Not that she ever let herself be bullied. High school had its rules. Prey or predator, there was no in between, and she had long decided she couldn't afford to be a prey. As far as social hierarchy went, she was a nobody. She was on the archery team which meant no one cared at all about her and that suited her just fine. If she played her cards well, archery might get her to college and _hopefully_ then she could take better care of Prim. That didn't mean she let herself be bullied by pretty girls she could have knocked flat out on their ass in about five seconds. The jocks were harder to fend off but Gale's near constant shadow was enough to keep them off her back.

"Sorry, I don't have anything on me."

It wasn't even a lie. She had caved and eaten the cereal bar Mellark had 'forgotten' next to her books earlier in the library. Mellark was always _forgetting_ food around her since she had flat out refused to take it from him and since it had become common knowledge she had been arrested by the police for shoplifting food. Sometimes entire loaves of bread were left unattended where she was certain to find them.

She hated it, _resented_ it.

Yet she was also grateful because as much as she hated the feeling of being a charity case, that was the only way Prim got to eat bread once in a while.

She turned around to put an end to that weird conversation and badly startled when she found herself faced with two girls she had never seen before in her life. The Seam wasn't that big. There was only one high school. But perhaps they weren't from around there…

The one on the left was younger than her, closer to Prim's age, and she had a birthmark that vaguely looked like a strawberry on her left eye. She was very pale, almost sickly so, and her clothes were… Katniss wasn't a fashion expert by any means. She liked sturdy pants, sturdy boots and shirts. The cheaper, the better. But what that kid was wearing looked very much like it had been in fashion fifty years earlier.

The other one, on the other hand, looked older than her. Old enough to already be in college maybe. Her clothes too looked old.

"Good job, Clove." the oldest grinned. "She looks tasty."

They were closing in on her and not in a friendly way. Katniss abruptly walked back so she could have the three of them in sight and her back hit a tree.

"What do you want?" she snapped, not quite afraid yet because… What could a teen, a young woman and a kid do to her? "I don't have any money and I don't have any food."

"Oh, but you _do_ have food…" the kid sing-sang in a creepy tone. " _You_ are food."

And then her face _rippled_.

It must have been a trick of the light. It _must_ have been. One second her face was normal if you excepted the birthmark and the next her face was all… _Frowny_ and _bumpy_. Her eyes were glowing yellow and her teeth…

 _Get home before dark, little duck. It's dangerous outside. There are monsters in the shadows._

Clove's face was wrong too now.

And the woman's…

Katniss didn't stop to check if it was a prank, if one of their friends was hiding in the woods recording everything on their phone or if she would go to school tomorrow to find everyone laughing at the video of the weirdo archer girl running scared in the woods…

She _ran_.

As fast and as far as she could. She jumped over roots, cut through the trees rather than stay on the path… She knew where she was going even in her panic.

In the end, it was the bow that made her trip. She was still holding it and the tip of it got caught in some bushes. She could have left it behind and kept on running but…

The bow was all she owned.

It was her ticket out of there and her only way to find food that wasn't stealing.

She stopped to untangle it, willing her racing heart to stop. There were no signs that the three _whatever_ were after her, the woods were calm and she had probably overreacted anyway. Now that she was calm enough to think, a prank seemed like the most likely explanation.

At least until she heard the groan.

It was the only warning she got and she spun around, bow in position.

"I will shoot you." she warned the kid with the bumpy face. The kid grinned and… _Were those fangs?_

"Careful, Bonnie…" the woman cackled behind her. "She will shoot you."

"I wish she'd hurry and do it. There's a bottle with my name on it at home." a different unfamiliar voice answered. That one was male and bored and Katniss almost jumped out of her skin, wondering just _how many people were in those woods tonight_.

Of course, then, the woman looked down in surprise at her chest where a pointy piece of wood was suddenly protuberating and then she exploded – _exploded_ – into a cloud of dust.

For a second, they all stood there frozen, she and Bonnie included. Eventually, the dust settled and she spotted the shape of the man in the darkness. He was wearing pants that were frayed and dirty at the knees, a shirt and one of those weird waistcoats men always wore in old British TV shows. His jacket presumably had been tossed aside on top of what looked like a messenger bag at the base of a tree. He had dirty blond hair that looked too long and unwashed, his mouth was pursed in a displeased line and his jaw was eaten by out of control stubble. His grey eyes though, almost the same shade of grey as hers, were sharp.

"Aim for the heart, sweetheart." he advised.

And before she could ask what he meant by _that_ or even who he was and what the _hell_ was going on, Bonnie was lunging at her with an enraged growl that sounded like an animal's.

Fear made her react before she could think twice and she let the arrow fly.

There wasn't much range and Bonnie had leaped though so even if she had aimed for the heart, the arrow embedded itself in the kid's shoulder instead.

 _Was_ it a kid?, Katniss had time to wonder before the… _thing_ – she was going with thing, it had a weird face and _fangs_ – was on her. She fell hard on the ground, the weight of the monster pinning her down, and she couldn't help a small yelp when the fangs came dangerously close to her throat. She grabbed Bonnie's hair by reflex and pulled her head back, struggling to keep her away from her neck.

"You missed." the man commented conversationally.

She glanced in his direction to find he was leaning against a tree, toying with a wooden… _Was that a stake?_

"I never miss." she snarled right back. "She _moved_."

The stranger snorted. "Rude of her. Ask them to stand still next time."

Bonnie was trying to claw her face off and Katniss was having troubles keeping her hold on her. "A little help?"

"Nah. You've got it." The man shrugged. "Remember. The heart. Or I guess you can rip her head off. That would work too."

The man was just as crazy and potentially as dangerous as the monsters, she decided. Assuming he _wasn't_ one of them. They had looked perfectly normal before they went all… _fangy_.

She wasn't sure how she managed it, she went with her instincts, but she managed to roll them over so she was on top of Bonnie. Which wasn't really any help because she had let go of her bow and she didn't have any…

"Catch."

That was her only warning before something was hurled at her. She grabbed it and slammed it down into the monster's chest before she could even _process_. It was all instinct. Then, she fell in a pile of dead leaves when Bonnie burst into dust, filling her mouth and nose with _stuff_.

She coughed and coughed until her eyes were full of tears.

"So… Congratulations, you're the Chosen One." the man declared once she had stopped trying to spit out a lung. "Embrace the probability of your imminent death."

She looked at him with a glare, ready to rip him a new one – first for not helping and then because he might _just_ be one of them – when, as karma would have it, something jumped on him from behind.

 _Clove_.

He crashed hard on the ground on his front and the girl went directly for his neck but he was faster than he looked. His elbow flew back, right into the girl's head, and he managed to shove her off him. He was almost on his feet when she attacked again and made him trip. In a second, she was on top of him and her fangs were deep in his throat. He struggled but was clearly overpowered.

She had thought Clove would rip his throat out like a predator would but instead she was… She was sucking his blood.

 _Vampires_ , a voice whispered in her head. _Just like in the nightmares that had been plaguing her for weeks_.

She ignored it for now.

The stake in her hand was broken. She wasn't sure how it had happened. Maybe two monsters was its limits or maybe she had slammed it too hard into Bonnie's chest. Aware that the man's resistance was growing faint – blood loss, the sane part of her mind supplied – she grabbed her bow and rushed to the bag he had tossed earlier and emptied it on the ground in hope of finding another stake.

There was a flask, a matchbox, an old heavy book, a cross like the one you found in churches complete with a tiny Christ on it but no more stakes. Her only weapon was her bow but the angle wasn't right…

 _Vampires_ …

Instinct took over, guided her hands, and before she knew what she was doing she had ripped a good piece of the abandoned jacket off and wrapped around the pointy hand of an arrow before lighting it on fire. Clove looked up then, a startle look in her yellow monsterish eyes. The man looked at her too and it was probably a good thing he could _still_ look at all given the blood trickling down his neck.

"Wait up now, Karen…" Clove said, lifting both hands in front of her defensively. "It _is_ Karen, right?"

She _hated_ Bee queens.

She released the arrow, automatically compensating for the heavier weight of the fabric and the flames, and while Clove tried to crawl back, it was too late, she caught fire. Katniss shot another one in her heart for good measure.

Dust rained down on the man who remained lying there, panting a little.

She was half-tempted to leave him there, run home and pretend the whole evening had never happened.

She remained where she was, a third arrow notched and ready.

"Fire." the man mumbled, pressing a hand against the wound on his neck. "Old school. Not bad. We might make something out of you yet. If you don't immolate yourself first…"

She frowned and was about to ask what he meant when she _smelt_ it. And then she _felt_ it. Somehow, at some point, a spark must have fell down on her because her sturdy brown pants were catching fire. She dropped her bow with a frightened yelp and patted herself until it had died down and she was certain she wasn't going to end up like Clove.

Her leg and her palms hurt but at least she was alive.

Meanwhile, the stranger had somehow pulled himself up in a sitting position. He was swaying a little but his eyes were riveted on her, _studying_ her in a way that made her scowl.

"What?" she spat.

"I don't like you, girl on fire." he retorted and it sounded like a warning.

"Right now, I don't like you much either." she snapped. "Are you even human or are you… What _were_ those things?"

"Oh, come on… Are we _really_ doing this?" he sighed. "The whole denial thing?" He dragged himself to the closest tree and leaned against the trunk, still pressing his hand against his wound. "Toss me the flask, yeah? That's a good girl…"

"Don't talk to me like that." she ordered, not moving one inch to get him his flask.

Now that neither of them was in any danger of getting eaten, she glanced at his upturned bag and inspected it a little more closely. She snatched the heavy book. It _was_ old but she had been wrong, it wasn't black at all. The cover was made of leather, it was kept closed by weird looking gold locks, and on it, in peeling golden letters, was branded the word… _vampyr._

The book belonged to her.

The feeling was so strong and so sudden that it scared her and she tossed it away, watching it as if it was going to _attack_ her. But it didn't do anything weird. It remained where she had tossed it, on top of the empty bag. It was just a book.

"Into every generation a slayer is born." the man droned out slowly, quietly, in a way that made her think he was quoting something. "One girl in all the world. A chosen one. She alone will wield the strength and skill to fight the vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness; to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their number. She is the Slayer."

She stared at him for a whole minute before scoffing. "You're insane."

"You just killed two vampires." he snorted, using the trunk to haul himself up. "I'd love to hear you rationalize _that_ for me."

He didn't look so good. His skin was clammy and he was swaying a little on his feet.

"You need to go to the hospital." she pointed out. "You need a blood transfusion."

"Not the first time, not the last time." he dismissed. "I need to eat something and you look like you could use a meal too so let's get out of these _fucking_ woods and go somewhere we can eat and talk."

"I am not going anywhere with you." she denied.

That was rule number two. _Never follow a stranger anywhere, Prim, it's dangerous._

She had broken rule number one already that night and look how it had turned out for her…

"Look…" he sighed. "You can run but I'm gonna find you again anyway, Katniss. The nightmares won't stop until you accept who you are and monsters won't stop existing just 'cause you wish it really hard."

She startled at hearing her name on his lips but she had the feeling it had been deliberate. To let her know he knew who she was.

As for the nightmares… How could he know about _that_? She hadn't told _anyone_.

She had _never_ told anyone about the weird dreams, only her parents had known and her mother had long stopped caring. They had always been there, somehow, for as long as she could remember but never with that intensity. And it was normal for a little girl to dream of monsters, wasn't it? They came and went. She was stressed and so she had nightmares – night terrors – but it had never reached a peak like recently. She had barely slept in the last week.

Every night for about a week she had died in her sleep. Every time she was a different girl. Every time she ended up dead. She hadn't told _anyone_ about it.

"How do you know my name?" she glared, picking up her bow in a way she hoped to be threatening. "How do you know about the nightmares?"

"You're the Slayer." he repeated impatiently. "Here's how it works: a Slayer dies, another one wakes up, _she_ dies, the next is called, that one dies and that brings us to you. I've been sent to help you until you kick the bucket and someone other than me draws the lucky ticket to coach the next dead girl to be."

Her heart was racing in her chest but being afraid wasn't a possibility right now. So she got mad instead.

"You're a lunatic." she accused.

He rolled his eyes, stumbled to his belongings and snatched the flask from the ground before taking a long gulp. "I'm a _drunk_. Doesn't make me crazy."

She shook her head and turned around, marching away at a determined pace.

"So we're doing this the hard way, then?" he shouted after her.

She didn't stop, she didn't look back, she didn't cave to the temptation of snatching the book on her way. She kept on marching until she was home and then she ignored Prim's worried questions or their mother's empty looks. She went straight to the shower stall and told herself that when she would come out, she would have accepted some of the jerks at school had pulled an _elaborate_ prank on her and a crazy old drunk who might just also be a serial killer had stumbled upon it.

When she slipped into bed, she had almost convinced herself she was shaking because the crappy two bedrooms trailer which rent she wasn't sure how she would pay next month didn't have any heating.

"Katniss, are you alright?" her baby sister whispered, lying down behind her.

She turned around, spooned Prim and held her tight.

It had to have been a weird prank. It _had_ to.

Because if it wasn't and there really were _vampires_ out there… That meant her sister was in danger.

* * *

 _So what did you think? Did you like it? Hate it? Let me know your thoughts, I'm nervous!_


	2. E1: Katniss the vampire Slayer (2)

2.

* * *

If it was a prank, it wasn't one that had been made public yet.

Katniss had been waiting for the laughter and the mocking comments ever since she had put a foot at the school that morning but so far, nobody had said anything. First period had been boring like Math always was and she felt like she was suffocating. Her whole body felt too tight for her, _coiled_. Her skin was tingling with an odd sixth sense that told her doom was impending.

"Hey."

She almost jumped out of her skin and slammed the boy who had startled her right against the row of lockers.

Gale stared at her with wide eyes. Either at the unexpected violence or because she had lifted him up a few inches in the air without breaking a sweat.

She dropped him and stepped back with wide eyes of her own.

"Okay…" her best friend said slowly. "Wanna explain?"

She licked her lips and averted her eyes, hiding behind the curtain of her hair. She usually tied it up in an utilitarian braid but, that day, she had felt the need for some additional cover. "Sorry. I'm jumpy today."

"Right." Gale frowned. "So… Your sister texted my brother and Rory texted me. The word on the street is that you are being weird since last night…"

"Prim should mind her business." Katniss grumbled. "I'm fine."

She headed down the corridor toward her next class, not entirely surprised when Gale followed her.

"She's just worried about you." he pointed out. "And it's not like you to be so jumpy you pin me to a locker, Catnip. Did something happen?"

She hesitated. She told Gale everything. Or _almost_ everything, at least. Gale understood her like nobody else ever would. His father was dead too and he, too, was struggling to help his mother raise his two brothers and his baby sister. Like her, he hadn't always been on the good side of the law and he was the one who had actually taught her how to poach in the woods. And, to top it off, he was also on the archery team. Gale Hawthorne was her best friend and she was sure that if she told him about the weird night she had had, he would find an explanation that was a little more rational than _vampires are a real thing_.

Before she could say anymore, the bell rang and she made a face because she couldn't afford to be late _again_. If she got kicked out of school, social services would poke their nose in her mother's business again and Katniss had _barely_ managed to convince them Aster was fit to take care of her and Prim last time.

"I'll tell you later." she promised.

"You better." He smiled. "See you at practice."

She rushed to the History classroom and almost flung herself at her usual seat but students were still chatting between themselves despite her late entrance. There were excited whispers around and she caught words like "retired" and "surprise" and "new teacher" floating around. She didn't pay it any attention, she fished her old battered phone from her bag and groaned when she realized she had forgotten to charge it _again_.

It wasn't a fancy model like all the smartphones all the wealthy kids had. It was a very basic model. All it could do was call and send text. It still had actual keys instead of a touch screen. It suited her needs just fine though. She only used it for emergencies. She had nobody to call and nobody to text beside Gale who she saw every day at school and who didn't live that far away from her home that she couldn't make the trip in ten minutes if she really needed something.

Because she was busy laboriously tapping a text to Prim asking her _not_ to disclose her private business to any Hawthorne boy, she missed the new teacher's arrival. She didn't, however, miss the hush that fell on the classroom or the characteristic squeaky sound of the pen on the whiteboard.

The man's back was to the room. He was wearing a blue suit as far as she could tell and his handwriting was atrocious.

She was too busy trying to decipher his name to look at him yet.

 _Haymitch Abernathy_

The feeling of dread was back and, when she finally looked at the man, she wasn't entirely surprised to find the stranger from the previous night smirking right at her.

"Let's cut to the chase…" He was addressing the class but it felt as if he was talking to _her_ specifically and she found herself scowling. She didn't like getting played like this. "You don't want to be here and I hate teaching so we're in good company. Let's try to make our time together bearable. You don't bother me, I don't bother you. Seems fair?"

It earned him a few laughs.

Katniss just glared.

For someone who claimed to hate teaching, he wasn't a _terrible_ teacher. He seemed to know his subject at least. That wasn't always a given with teachers in a town as small and as poor as the Seam.

Still, she was the first one to rush out of the room when the bell rang.

The day dragged on. She was a little afraid Abernathy would try to corner her somewhere but, true to his statement, he didn't seem willing to bother her. She supposed that meant she should go to him first. Fat chance of that.

She didn't need his help because none of it was true.

When Gale asked her again at practice what had bothered her so much that morning, she told him it was nothing and, this time, she meant it. She went back to the woods with him after school and they managed to catch a few squirrels.

They didn't meet any weird people.

Nothing odd happened.

She blamed hunger for the whole thing and vowed not to hunt on an empty stomach again.

She was almost happy when she went to school the next day – as happy as you could be when the fridge and the cupboards were empty and bills were piling on the wobbly table. She was _relieved_ it had all been in her head, truth be told. It was the only reason she didn't immediately scowl and turned Mellark away when he casually asked if she wanted what was left of his chocolate cake because he had packed too much.

It wasn't the first time he had cornered her in the Biology classroom before the lesson started with offers of food. Prim loved chocolate cake and she was in a good mood so she thanked him and made sure it was carefully wrapped in the paper napkin before placing it in her bag. He looked surprised and a little hopeful and he must have taken that as a tacit permission to sit because next thing she knew, he was on the stool next to hers.

That was Madge's seat and Katniss looked at the classroom's door with panic, hoping the blond girl would hurry and show up. Madge wasn't _really_ a friend because they didn't hang out outside of school but they had been Biology partners since forever and they had eaten lunch together a few times. Madge was alright. She knew how to deal with Madge.

She didn't know how to deal with Peeta Mellark who was king of the jocks and captain of the wrestling team.

To be fair, Mellark had always been nice to her. They had been in the same class for as long as she could remember and he was a shy kid despite his popularity. She didn't think he had a mean bone in his body. But he was rich and they didn't belong in the same world and Katniss was naturally weary of anyone who didn't have to sweat and bleed to get their next meal.

Today, he looked unusually gloomy.

And, now that she was paying attention, so did the rest of the popular clique. Was Glimmer _crying_?

"What's wrong?" she asked, nodding at his friends who all looked a mix of worried and depressed. That was as unusual as it got. They were always happy, shallow and haughty.

"You didn't hear?" he said, sounding sad too. "Cato and Clove disappeared."

The name of the girl she had set on fire was like a stab in the chest. She had done her best to repress the whole thing, _not_ to think about why Clove hadn't been around since that night. Her absence didn't fit with the rational explanations she had settled on.

"Three days ago." he continued when she didn't say anything. "The police think they ran away together but… It's just not like them. And they didn't take any clothes or anything… It's so weird…"

"Right. Weird." she repeated flatly.

He forced a small smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I just hope they're alright…"

"Yeah." she said and she wondered if she imagined how strangled it sounded.

"Your partner's here… I'll…" He pointed out to his usual seat, a little hesitant and she nodded, already catching Madge's eyes who was doing her own brand of hesitation at finding her seat taken. "Katniss?" He placed her hand on her wrist and she automatically snatched it away. He looked hurt for a second but then it was gone and his face was entirely too serious. "I know you often go to the woods on your own… Be careful, alright? I heard weird things are happening over there."

"Thanks for the cake." she mumbled.

 _Well_ , she thought, ignoring Madge's awkward questions about what _Peeta_ _Mellark_ wanted with _her… Shit_.

°O°O°O°O°

Haymitch wasn't surprised to find the girl on his classroom's threshold at the end of the day.

He considered her as she studied him, dislike written all over her face. She didn't look like much, his new Slayer… She was underweight. _Underfed_ , he corrected himself. Her features were striking and she could have been pretty if she hadn't looked so famished, her skin was olive brown, her long black hair was tied back in a braid – which was good because he _hated_ having to tell girls to tie their _fucking_ hair up because it wouldn't help to be pretty once they were dead… Her eyes were grey, a shade lighter than his. For as small and thin as she was, she looked strong though and that, he decided, was good.

"Thought we had an agreement, sweetheart. Don't bother me, I won't bother you." he mocked.

She didn't answer. She kept watching him with wariness and disgust and maybe a little bit of fear. All of which was fair as far as he was concerned.

He started packing up. Books in the bag, homework tossed in the desk drawer for him to grade later or never, the flask he had resisted the urge of touching for most of the day back in his pocket… _Fuck_ but he hated teaching. He couldn't believe he was back to doing _that_.

He didn't pay her attention because it wasn't how it was going to be. He didn't dance to her tune, she danced to his. At least, that was how it was supposed to work anyway.

He could already tell this one would be difficult.

Wouldn't save her in the long run though.

"There's a boy missing." she said eventually, when it became clear he wouldn't speak first.

She stepped inside the classroom and closed the door behind her. She didn't wander closer though, she stayed within reach of the door and as far away from the desk he was standing at as she could. _Skittish_ , he noted.

"And?" he asked in a bored tone.

She didn't like that.

He wondered if the scowl was her natural expression or if it was especially for him.

"And he's Clove's boyfriend." she added as if it was obvious and he was being obtuse on purpose. "The girl who chewed on your neck."

He touched the wound by reflex. It was healing without problems but it would leave a scar. By his last count, it was his fourth vampire bite.

" _And_?" he insisted, dragging the question out.

"And maybe he's… _like her_." she snapped. "You have to do something."

He burst out laughing. A rough bitter laugh that made her even more weary of him, he could tell. That or he was starting to piss her off.

" _I_ don't have to do _shit_." he countered. " _I_ 'm not the Slayer."

She glared. "The Chosen One thing is _bullshit_."

"Don't need to convince _me_ of that, trust me." he snorted. "But if you think the _vampire_ thing is _bullshit_ , you don't need me, then, yeah? Can't have it both ways, sweetheart." He watched her for a second and then leaned against the side of the desk, folding his arms in front of his chest. "Tell me, if you weren't out looking for vampires, what were you doing with a bow in the woods at night?"

"I was hunting." she answered as if it that made the least bit of sense in that day and age.

Though, if the looks of her was anything to go by, it actually made _some_ sense.

"Hungry?" he asked, coming to a split decision. "There's a diner not too far away. Good food."

"I've got archery practice." she countered.

 _At least, it's not a cheerleader this time,_ he mused.

"Your call." He shrugged. "Let's hope your missing boy doesn't chew on anyone tonight…"

He left the classroom without looking back.

He was out of the building by the time she caught up with him, her bow and quiver slung over one shoulder and her school bag over the other one.

"You're an _asshole_." she commented. "People could _die_. You don't care at all?"

"People die all the time." he replied. " _You_ 're gonna die."

She flinched and he might have felt a tiny bit sorry if that part of him had still been operational. But it wasn't. He had turned it off a long time ago. He couldn't, _wouldn't_ care. She would die. They all did. There was nothing he could do about it and he didn't believe in lying to his charges. If they listened to him, they might live that little bit longer. If not…

Somehow, he didn't think Katniss Everdeen would be the kind of Slayers who _listened_.

" _Asshole_." she repeated under her breath.

Despite himself, he smirked. At least, she had spunk. He hated it when they were meek and compliant. Watcher-raised slayers were always like that. _Obedient_. Good soldiers but no personalities, no room for adaptation. Eventually, that got them killed. He had refused to take up a Potential when he had been asked. He specialized in rogue slayers.

The Council of Watchers – or, as he had once heard William The Bloody say _The Council of Wankers_ – made a point of collecting girls who _could_ be called and placing them in a Watcher's care as young as possible. It wasn't a fail-proof system though. Potentials hoped and prayed to be chosen but for a hundred of them, only one was picked, and sometimes, the girl who was called hadn't been detected or found in time to be brought up properly. The Council called it a rogue, he called it a victor.

He worked well enough with them.

Better than with the brainwashed ones, in any case.

The diner was nothing to sing about. It was decrepit, like almost everything else in this town, and there was grease everywhere – he had never found out if that was why the owner had named it _Greasy Sae's_ – but the food was decent and it hadn't changed since the last time he had been there, decades ago. Anywhere else at that time of day, the place would have been crowded with teenagers but it was mostly deserted except for a few patrons sitting at the counter.

Either there was another newer place to get burgers somewhere he hadn't found yet or people knew not to linger outside after dark. Slayers were called where they were most needed so he would bet on the latter.

Some Watchers actually brought their Potentials to hot zones in hope that it would trick fate into turning them into the Slayer. Usually, it only meant more dead girls before they even reached puberty.

And if they _weren't_ chosen by the time they turned eighteen they were either hired to work for the Council as operatives or researchers or tossed on the streets without the means to do anything of themselves. You couldn't raise a kid without getting attached, of course, but that wasn't well seen by the higher ups and it wasn't advised to keep in touch with a Potential who wasn't a Potential anymore. Things had to be professional, after all. Detached. Neutral. For tweed, Queen and country. _Fucking_ British.

"Katniss?" one of the waitresses asked uncertainly, once they had grabbed one of the booths in the corner. The discreet ones.

It occurred to him that it might look weird for a forty year-old teacher to be seen at a diner with a sixteen year-old student. Rumors would be rampant if he wasn't careful.

"Hello, Hazelle." the kid answered in a casual voice. Either because she didn't get why her friend looked worried to see her with a much older man or because she didn't care at all. "Can I have two cheeseburgers with fries to go? He's paying."

She added the last part both defensively and aggressively. The defensiveness was for the waitress and to the implication she didn't have the means to pay. The aggressiveness was for his sake, he figured, to let him know she was in charge.

It amused him. _She_ amused him. She barely reached his shoulder and she looked like a draft could knock her over but she was so full of anger that he started thinking maybe she had what it took.

It was a dangerous road, of course. It led to hope. And hope led to heartbreak.

He turned his most charming smile toward the waitress – a smile that hopefully said _I am not a pervert who preys on little girls_ – and the woman relaxed a little but not by much. "What she said plus two cheeseburgers and fries for us to eat here, please. And a beer. You want something to drink?"

She looked taken aback by the lack of resistance on the bill front and, if possible, even more cautious than before. "Coke."

And the weariness triggered the waitress' warning bells again.

He would need to teach her to be a little more covert.

"Is Sae around?" he asked casually, because he knew the familiar name would go a long way into making himself look like less of a stranger.

"No, she's rarely in anymore." the waitress frowned. "You know her?"

"Yeah, for a long time. I was born here, actually. Went away, came back a few years later, went away again…" He outstretched a hand in introduction. "Name's Haymitch. I'm the new History teacher at Seam High. And I ain't trying to seduce the kid or something… I'm a family friend. Came to help."

"Ah." she exclaimed in a deep relieved breath with a guilty look for Katniss. "That makes sense with Aster's troubles…" He had meant _tutoring_ because that was his usual cover story and now he was intrigued. _What kind of troubles?_ She shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, Haymitch. I'm Hazelle Hawthorne. My oldest son is taking History. Gale?"

He winced. "Only my second day, sorry… I don't know all the kids yet."

"No problem." She laughed. "It's probably a good thing you didn't notice him. Let me know if he gives you troubles."

She left to place their order and he waited until he was sure she couldn't overhear before turning his attention back to Katniss who was studying him as if she couldn't believe him.

"You lied to her." she accused.

"Want me to get up on the table and shout to the world that you're the Slayer and I'm your Watcher?" he snorted. "That would go down well."

"Maybe we should." she retorted "Those _things_ the other night… They could have killed us."

"They're demons." he clarified. "Subclass but demons. And, yeah, they could have killed us. But you go shout around about vampires and you're gonna find yourself locked up in a loony bin before you can say _Slayer_." He shook his head. "Rule number two is… the whole thing is secret."

"What's rule number one?" she countered.

"Survive." he deadpanned.

He chose the word on purpose. Not _don't die_ or _stay alive_ but _survive_. It was different. Surviving was harder.

She pondered that a moment and then sulked a little. "I meant you lied about being from around here."

It was his turn to ponder that for a moment. He decided on the truth because… why not? "Didn't lie. I left for good a while ago though." Hazelle came back with their drinks and he waited until after she had assured them their orders were coming before addressing Katniss again. "What's with the food? You're stocking up or you're feeding an army?"

She took a sip of her soda and at the way she closed her eyes for a fraction of second after the first taste, he simply _knew_ it was a luxury she hadn't afforded herself in a long time. It wasn't that surprising, he supposed, given the worn out clothes and the malnourished look.

He didn't expect a straight answer so he wasn't disappointed when he didn't get one.

"This Slayer thing…" she ventured after a moment. "It's like a job?"

"More like a calling." He waved his hand in the air a little angrily. "You can say no to a job, you can't say no to destiny when it comes knocking."

"I meant: does it pay?" she clarified.

Again, he found himself laughing. And that surprised him. He couldn't remember the last time he had laughed before that day.

Johanna maybe.

Katniss was the first one who had ever asked _that_ though.

"You could stop laughing every time I ask a question, you know." she sulked, sliding down her seat and folding her arms in front of her chest like a petulant child.

Ah, _fuck_. She was one of those he was going to like. He could already tell.

That was bad.

"If you need money we can work something out." he offered because he had too much of it anyway. Watchers were well paid. To keep their mouth shut and follow orders, mostly.

"I don't take charity." she snarled. "If it ain't paid, I'm not interested. I need a _job_ , not a calling."

"Then why don't you already have one?" he asked, honestly curious. Poaching in the woods couldn't keep her fed.

"Because people know I've been arrested for stealing before." she grumbled. "They won't hire me."

She had a past with the police. That might become a problem. Slayers often found themselves in the middle of troubles. He would have to make sure she never got caught.

Hazelle came back with their food and he thanked her while Katniss pounced on the burger. She tried not to be obvious about it but it was glaring to him. He wondered when she had last eaten a proper meal.

He tried another angle. "Why do you need the money?"

He told himself he was getting to know her because it would help him prepare her for the mission. Not because he cared for her as a person.

She was already dead and he needed to remember that.

They were _always_ already dead when they came to him. They just didn't know it yet.

Half the cheeseburger was gone already and she washed it out with two greedy gulps of soda.

He had yet to touch his beer or the food.

"My sister. I take care of her." she explained a little reluctantly.

That explained the burgers to go.

"Your parents don't?" he probed carefully.

The Council hadn't told him much about her. They never did. Slayers who activated in the wild were always a bit of mysteries – unplanned elements. They had given him a name, a place – and how _fucking_ _thrilled_ he had been to find himself back _there_ – and a school picture that was two years out of date.

"My dad's dead." she snapped. _Barked_. As if he should have known or guessed or… "Mom's… Mom never got over it. I take care of Prim."

It would make it easier in a way. Parents could be difficult to reason with.

Still…

One parent dead and the other out of the picture, a sibling to support…

 _Too familiar._

He dipped one of the French fries in his glass of beer, ignoring her disgusted glance, before popping it in his mouth. "I can help with the money."

She glared. "I don't…"

"It's not charity." he cut her off. "I'm your Watcher."

She watched him dip another fry in his beer. She was eating more slowly now, either because she felt sick from having gulped so much down or because she wanted to savor it.

"Because I'm the Chosen One." she scoffed. "That still sounds crazy."

"I know." he offered because he did. It never got any less weird.

"I'm not special." she insisted.

"I know." he repeated. Another Watcher might have claimed she _was_ special, that she was chosen, and destiny and prophecy and honor, _yada yada yada_ … The truth of it was the girls were always ordinary girls up until the previous one died. It didn't help to sugarcoat it.

"Well, _thanks_." she remarked. She sounded less hostile and he felt his lips twitch so he busied himself by taking a bite of his cheeseburger. He _wouldn't_ care. Not this time. She munched on a fry, watching him. "What's a Watcher?"

"A mentor." he explained. "When a Slayer dies and another is activated the Council sends her a Watcher. Sometimes it's the same person, sometimes not. Depends of the new Slayer's needs." He took a mouthful of beer. It tasted better with the fries. "I'm gonna train you: teach you to fight, teach you about demons, teach you how to use different weapons… That kind of things. Also, you're gonna love that part… I'm gonna tell you where to go and what to do and you're gonna report to me. Basically, I'm your boss."

She snorted.

Yeah… He hadn't thought it would be that easy either.

"Is Watcher a job or were you _called by fate_ too?" she mocked.

"A bit of both." he chuckled bitterly. "But I'm being paid so I'm gonna say it's a job. You should eat before it gets cold."

She tossed him an odd look but finished her cheeseburger. Then, of course, she asked the question he knew had been coming from the start of the conversation. "How many Slayers did you know?"

He took another sip of beer, if only to make sure his voice would still be steady when he would speak. "Know? Seven. But _I_ trained five if that's what you want to know. I started when I was nineteen and I'm forty now so I'm gonna let you do the math as far as a Slayer's life expectancy goes…"

She was staring at him but he didn't look at her, he focused on eating his fries.

"So… The last Slayer… The one before me… You trained her?" she asked in a tone that wanted to be steady and was anything but.

"No." he denied. "Last one was somewhere in Africa, I think. The one before her was mine, though. She was in Los Angeles. Nice weather, nasty demons. A Selkie drowned her. It was a mercy, really. She had gone mad."

Annie had been too soft for this life.

He had never understood why she had been called in the first place. _Too soft_. He had known it from the start. One horror too many and she had started slipping into trances he couldn't shake her out of. The Council had figured it out eventually, had sent a Watcher in training to assist him – a spy – the joke had been on them when instead of turning her in, Finnick had fallen in love with the broken girl. They had managed to keep her alive for a few months longer between the two of them.

Then, of course, she had followed that Selkie into the ocean and they had never known if the demon had tricked her or if she had just wanted it all to end.

' _Death is my gift'_ she had whispered to him more than once and he hadn't understood, not until he had found her floating body, not until he had been forced to restrain a yelling Finnick…

"Annie Cresta." he added as an afterthought.

Her name figured in the Chronicles, of course, but he doubted anyone would read the journal he had kept about her. First because he had been told more than once than his records were awful and then because she hadn't been one of the great ones. She had lasted a year. It wasn't bad, more than most recently, but she hadn't done anything noteworthy. She had just lost her sanity.

Girls and girls and girls sent to the slaughterhouse…

"How long will I last?" Katniss asked.

The question slapped him back to the present and he forced himself to focus, to ignore the burning need to take a sip of the hard liquor hiding in his pocket. He couldn't afford to get drunk when he had a Slayer to mentor.

He had no good answer to offer though and the longer he remained silent the clearer it became that the silence _was_ the answer.

She wasn't the first one to ask him that. He could remember another girl, with honey blond hair and bright blue eyes asking him the very same thing in that very same dinner. In hindsight, he should have brought Katniss elsewhere.

"I have a sister." she hissed between her teeth. Her eyes were shiny but the tears never made it through. "I'm all she has. I can't…"

"If it comes down to that, _when_ it comes down to that… I'll make sure the kid's taken care of." he promised. That was the only thing he could do. He couldn't promise to save _her_ , but the sister he could see to. "I had a younger brother. I know what that's like."

Their eyes met and something passed between them, then.

An understanding.

They weren't so much different when it came down to it, it seemed.

* * *

 _And thus the Slayer found her Watcher! And Peeta, Gale and Madge all appear! Did you like it? I hope you did! Let me know!_


	3. E1: Katniss the vampire Slayer (3)

**3.**

* * *

Katniss wasn't having a good day.

She was missing practice again.

 _And_ Gale wouldn't stop asking questions. All day with the questions…

The whole school was buzzing about Cato and Clove's disappearances and she couldn't tell _anyone_ that Clove, at least, was…

She kept staring at the house with a scorn on her face.

She had checked the address Haymitch – _don't call me Mr Abernathy when we ain't in class, sweetheart, makes me feel like a dinosaur_ – had given her three times and there was no mistake: it was here. He was living in a big house fit to host at least four people, at the very end of the very classy suburbia that had been _so_ expensive that even the wealthiest people in town hadn't been able to afford it. It had long been abandoned – which was why most of the houses were empty and it looked like a ghost town up there. This, somehow, was a _joke_.

She had been debating between joke and nightmare since the previous night though.

After they were done eating their burgers, he had taken her to the woods for a patrol. A part of her had wondered if she was crazy to follow him up there where they would be alone and he would be able to do whatever he wanted with her before murdering her like the crazy person he _obviously_ was.

They hadn't found Cato but they _had_ found the guy who tended to the cashing machine at the gas station. And he had been very intent on eating them for dinner.

Haymitch had been absolutely unhelpful.

He had leaned against a tree and had shouted instructions she had followed as best as she could. She hadn't known she could fight before, not like that at least. But fighting, it turned out, had become instinctive and it made her body _hum_ with the thrill of the hunt. The feeling when she had dusted that vampire had been incredible but it had only lasted a few seconds. Then her stomach had started churning again because it was uncomfortably and unfamiliarly full and Haymitch, instead of congratulating her, had told her she needed to up her game if she didn't want to end up dead.

She had argued that she had killed three vampires in two days and _he_ had barely gotten one.

He had replied that they were fledglings and that if they ever encountered a master vampire, they would both be in troubles. Apparently, age and power came hand in hand for vampires.

She needed to train.

He had told her that at least ten times. She needed to train, to become better, to become stronger, to become…

She wasn't sure what she was supposed to become. _Not dead_ probably.

The thing with Haymitch… One second, she hated him. The next, she pitied him.

He was nasty and mean but half of that seemed to be an act and the other half self-preservation. She could relate.

Anyway, that was how she had ended up staring at a house that looked just as empty as its neighbors, in what could have been the wealthiest part of town if it hadn't become the most decrepit. The house itself wasn't in awesome shape. The grass was out of control in the yard and at least two blinds were broken and hanging against the outer wall. It looked just as deserted as the other ones.

She only knew it was the right one because there was a bike parked in the driveway.

Now, the bike didn't look shiny or new but it looked in pristine conditions as far as she could tell – and she wasn't an expert on bikes by any means. She knew it was a _Harley_ because the brand was right there for her to spot, white words on the black paint.

The bike was the reason she had checked the address the last two times. She just couldn't picture Haymitch on a bike, the same way she couldn't picture him teaching her anything about fighting. Sure, he had dusted that vampire the night they had met and, sure, he had slammed his elbow in Clove's face… But, then again, he had also gotten bitten.

The front door suddenly opened and Haymitch stood there, glaring at her. "You're gonna stand out here all day or you're gonna come in at some point? You won't learn anything out there, girl." She scowled but stomped her feet into the house, annoyed to have been caught staring. "Before I forget…" He thrust the _vampyr_ book in her hands before he had even slammed the front door shut. "Homework."

She placed it in her bag with a little more care than he had shown, still feeling an odd sense of belonging for that book, and kept quiet.

She was ill-at-ease.

She didn't want to be there but he had said he would help with the money.

The way she saw it, since she didn't have a choice, she might as well get as much out of this Slayer thing as she could get. She would hunt vampires down and train with him and, in exchange, he would get enough food to feed her sister and he would help her take care of the bills. It was like a job, albeit a dangerous one.

She followed him to the kitchen. There was a plate on the table with a sandwich on it and an unopened bottle of coke next to it.

"Eat." he muttered, heading to the counter. He poured himself a cup of coffee and added some of whatever he kept in his flask into it.

She felt herself turn red. "I don't need…"

"It's just a _fucking_ sandwich not a four stars meal." he cut her off before she could finish her lie. "You're gonna burn a lot of calories and I'm pretty sure you didn't have lunch _or_ breakfast. _Eat_."

This time it was an order and, since it was in relation to the job, she could accept it without it being charity. She still regretted accepting Mellark's piece of cake the previous day. He seemed to think they were friends now. He stopped to greet her in the hallways and chatted with her in Biology until Madge arrived and he never seemed to think it wrong or odd that she only answered by monosyllabic answers. Charity was dangerous.

She cut the sandwich in half and carefully didn't notice that it had been _made_ and not _bought._ She couldn't remember the last time someone had _fixed her_ a snack.

"Eat it all." he grumbled when he saw what she was doing. "I've been to the shop. I have groceries you can take home."

Her heart was racing again.

How much was risking her life worth? She couldn't take too much or it wouldn't be fair, it wouldn't be a business deal anymore. She couldn't allow herself to depend on anyone because… It wasn't just her, it was Prim too and when Haymitch would bail – because adults _always_ bailed…

"Didn't know being a teacher paid that much." she shot out.

"Doesn't." he dismissed. "The teaching is just for cover. I hate it." He shook his head. "Being a Watcher pays well and I've got few needs."

"Why this house?" she asked. It was too big, too isolated and there was a musty smell in the air as if it had been closed up too long.

"'Cause I own it and it was easier than go real-estate shopping." he deadpanned. "Now, stop playing twenty questions and eat your sandwich so I can kick your ass down a peg or two."

When he led her down to the basement, after she was done eating the _whole_ sandwich, she was very confident he wouldn't be able to land so much as _one_ hit. She remembered the feeling from the previous night, when she had been fighting that vampire… She had felt incredible. Like she was coming into her own. The power was hers and she had felt invulnerable. He, on the other hand, had no superhuman abilities, was old and, she suspected, a little drunk. Easy prey.

Haymitch had turned the basement into a gym of sort. There was a punching bag dangling from the ceiling in one corner, various weapons mounted on the walls and training equipment crammed into another corner. She inspected the swords and axes with curiosity while he dragged heavy looking gym mats to the center of the room. Some of the blades were rusty. She went over to the punching bag and realized it was a little saggy.

"I'll get all that fixed." Haymitch said when he saw what she was looking at. "Most of this stuff is outdated anyway. Start warming up."

She revised her judgment. _He_ hadn't turned the basement into a training room. This stuff must have been around for _decades_.

What had he said about the house again? _'Cause I own it_. From one of the two times he had lived in the Seam?

"So you can shoot a bow." he said, still arranging mats while she stretched like they did in PE. She felt more and more stupid. "What else?"

"Knife." She shrugged. "Sometimes when you hunt, you've got to use one. I can toss one well enough."

"Yeah?" he perked up. "Knives were kind of my specialties back in the day. Doesn't work that well with vampires but they're not the only bumps in the night. We'll start with stakes." He tossed one in her direction without pausing to check if she caught it or got impaled by it – she _did_ catch it. "And your hand to hand combat skills 'cause let me tell you… You _suck_. Come here."

He didn't bother grabbing a stake and she was a little scared she would hurt him with the pointy end of hers.

She was so confident she would win that it was a total surprise when she ended up flat on her back.

A fluke, she told herself. She was stronger than he was now. She was faster. She was _the Slayer._

A few of her kicks and punches landed but mostly because he let her. To her speed and her strength, he opposed actual skills and that… That was harder to deflect. Every time he managed to hit her, he mocked her about what she was doing wrong.

She changed her mind about him not being a terrible teacher.

The third time she ended up on the floor, she decided she was done holding back her punches and she attacked with all she had. It still wasn't enough to win but there were mistakes she knew she wouldn't do again.

Underestimating her opponent was one of them.

It lasted for what seemed like hours. And when he finally declared they were done, well past the point where she could form a coherent thought, he handed her two groceries bags, told her to go home to take care of Prim and then meet him at the cemetery at eleven.

She grumbled a lot about it, mostly because all she wanted was a shower and to crash into bed, but he kicked her out the door while she was still protesting.

To make things worse, Prim jumped on her as soon as she crossed the threshold of the little trailer they lived in. "Where have you been? Gale called to ask why you were missing practice again. Have you been missing practice?"

She had wanted to avoid that particular conversation a while longer but there was no escaping her twelve year-old sister, her inquisitive blue eyes, or the demonic cat that followed her everywhere around their home but hissed at Katniss every time Prim's back was turned. She needed to ask Haymitch about possessed cats.

She carried the groceries back to the kitchen, not surprised _not_ to see their mother anywhere in the main area. She _would_ have been surprised if their mother had been up. She was sometimes. She got up and made waffles and for a few hours she remembered she was supposed to be the adult around there, then she went back to bed, curled up on her side and refused to interact with anyone again.

"Where did you find the food?" Prim insisted, a frown on her small face. "Is that a _real_ apple?"

How bad had things gotten that a twelve year-old was so excited to see an actual _fruit_? The fruits they ate tended to be dry and come with the cereals. She let Prim snatch the apple and couldn't help but smile when she saw how delighted she was at the taste.

"The cheeseburger yesterday and now real food…" Prim continued, her mouth full. "Did we win the lottery?"

"I found a job." she said. "I might not have time for the archery team anymore. I will explain to Gale tomorrow."

Prim frowned and climbed on the wobbly stool. "But you love archery…"

"Yeah, but…" she hesitated. She _did_ love shooting her bow and she was sure she would have plenty of reasons to practice. Hand to hand combat was all well and good but she didn't see the point of going to contact if she could take care of the problem at a distance. This being said, Haymitch had been pretty clear her chance of surviving the year were slim. Never mind going all the way to college. She tried not to dwell on her suddenly short lifespan. There was only one thing that counted and that was Prim. "The job is more important right now. And we can finally have some decent meals."

Her sister watched with an entirely too knowing look on her young face. "It's not fair. You love practice. I don't mind eating only cereals…"

"Don't worry, little duck. The job is _cool."_ she lied, ruffling her hair.

Prim ducked away from her hand and fixed her braid, laughing a little. "Yeah? What is it?"

"Superhero." Katniss teased, putting the groceries away.

"Come on, tell me." her sister begged and she was soon distracted from the practice question by Katniss' evasive answers about what kind of work she had found. And she was even more distracted by the box of chocolate chips cookies at the bottom of the bag.

She thanked Haymitch for that one.

At least until she found herself roaming the cemetery later that night.

It was creepy and wrong in all kind of ways. Haymitch lectured her about how to spot the suspicious deaths in the paper in a bored voice while they walked between two rows of fresh graves. Then, he left her alone with a freshly resurrected vampire and watched her struggle against him. He didn't lift a finger to help, not even when the vampire slammed her against a headstone that broke on impact and left her stunned on the ground. The vampire closed in and she was pretty sure she was going to be the new record for shortest Slayer alive when the demon disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Haymitch was frowning down at her with a very displeased expression.

"You're too cocky and I won't always be here to save your ass. You could have taken him if you had been paying attention in training earlier." he declared.

"I thought you were supposed to give me some advice." she snarled, jumping back on her feet just to show off.

"You want some advice? Here's one." he sneered "Stay alive."

That concluded that particular day of lesson and set the tone for what happened during the next two weeks.

Katniss' life had fallen into some kind of routine.

Every day she woke up, she fixed Prim's breakfast – with actual healthy food now – she went to school, tried to awkwardly deflect Gale's pressing questions and Peeta's more and more frequent friendly conversation, went over to Haymitch's house after school was over, invariably wondered if the bike was his or if he was keeping it for a friend because she had never seen him on it yet, ate whatever snack was waiting for her in the kitchen, pointedly ignored the empty bottles of liquor and the fact that his house was slowly turning into a dumpster of sort, trained with him in the basement to whichever form of torture he had picked that day – hand to hand, sword fighting, pointless exercises of meditation that seemed to annoy him just as much as it did her… – then she would go home to spend some time with Prim, sneak out once her sister was asleep to go roam a cemetery of Haymitch's choosing, argue with him, kill a few vampires, argue with him some more, and go home to crash in bed.

Rinse and repeat.

Until that Thursday morning when a shadow suddenly fell across the yellowish page of the vampyr book she was painfully trying to study and she looked up, startled, to find Peeta Mellark awkwardly standing there. She was hiding behind the bleachers outside the football field. It wasn't the smartest hidden place but it had served her well so far.

"What are you reading?" he asked.

"Just some… novel." she lied.

Before she could do anything, he had snatched the book as if it was the most natural thing to do.

" _Vampyr_ …" he read. "I didn't know you liked that sort of stuff… What is it about? Is it like _Twilight_ or…"

She was on her feet before he even registered she had moved and had grabbed the book back.

"It's nothing like _Twilight_." she spat. That much, she was sure of. Unlike Twilight, a good vampire didn't seem to exist. Once a human was turned, they lost their soul. And without a soul to guide them, there was only the demon. And demons weren't nice. "What do you want?"

He seemed taken aback and flashed her a sheepish smile. "Sorry. I didn't mean to bother you… I just saw you and…"

"I have to go." she snapped.

She ran away before he could offer whatever pastry he had probably brought along for her that day. She wasn't in the mood to see him make a kicked puppy face when she would refuse and she was in any less of a mood to accept a little more of his pity.

Besides, she was annoyed he had seen the book. She would give it back to Haymitch for safekeeping, she decided. She didn't dare leave it at home, too afraid Prim would accidentally find it and either figure it all out or have her committed. But it was clear it wasn't any safer to bring it at school.

Haymitch was pretty insistent on rule two. He kept saying if you got innocent people involved, they inevitably got hurt. And she didn't believe he was wrong on that front.

She would give the book back to him later, she decided.

"What did Mellark want?" Gale asked, suddenly falling into steps with her as if they had been walking together all along.

She _didn't_ startle. Because she was the Slayer and Haymitch had been ranting for two days about how she should _always_ be aware of her surroundings at all times. He liked to repeat she was oblivious. She hated it when he was proven right.

"To talk. I don't know. Why?" she muttered.

"Rory says you've quitted the team because you found a job?" he insisted - like he had more or less every day for the last two weeks.

She got mad and stormed away without even bothering with a lie.

Clearly, boys were _incapable_ of understanding subtle messages though.

Madge arrived early to Biology for once and they were making awkward small talk when Peeta stopped in front of their bench, interrupting them with his greeting. He looked nervous and Katniss frowned.

"Hey again" he said with a smile that seemed a little forced. Katniss frowned. Madge looked from her to him, clearly amused by… Katniss wasn't sure. Apparently, neither Madge's amusement nor her own silence mattered because Peeta soldiered on. "I was wondering if you had gotten the text? About the party?"

Katniss wasn't even sure he was talking to her anymore. She glanced at Madge who helpfully nodded.

"I did." she confirmed. "But I'm not sure I can come… My parents don't like me going out after dark and _The Capitol…_ " She shook her head, her blond curl bouncing around. "I don't know… Are you going, Katniss?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." she admitted because it seemed like the quickest way to put an end to the conversation.

 _The Capitol_ was a fancy very posh hotel situated in the middle of a meadow, not too far from the northern border of the woods. She could have saved money for ten years and she was pretty sure she still wouldn't have had enough to pay for _one_ night. It was for wealthy tourists who came to hike in the woods and the surrounding mountains.

"Oh…" Peeta exclaimed, half-relieved and half-disappointed. "We sent a text to _everyone_. It's an open invite party… Glimmer's dad rented _The Capitol_ for the night on Saturday… I was hoping… I mean… I could be your ride. If you need one."

"A party?" she repeated, stunned. She had never gone to any party. She was never _invited_ to any party.

"I mean, like I said, it's open to everyone… You can come with whoever you want…" Peeta rambled on. "Are you coming with Hawthorne, then? You two are going out, right?"

"Going out?" she kept repeating, feeling like a dumb parrot. "With _Gale_?"

"So… You're _not_?" he insisted.

Katniss had never been so relieved to see their Biology Teacher. Miss Tigris might have been extremely weird but she was still _less_ weird than this conversation.

"I could drive if you want to go and you don't want Peeta to pick you up." Madge offered. "I'm pretty sure my parents might let me go if I tell them I am going with a friend… Besides, with all those people disappearing… It would be safer to stick together, don't you think?"

She was a little too shocked at having been called Madge's _friend_ to react in time.

Madge looked too hopeful, like she _really_ wanted to go. Katniss had zero interest in going to a party at all but she couldn't find it in her to crush her dreams after being called her _friend_. So she said she would think about it.

She was so angry and frustrated that it was actually a relief to direct all that at dummies during training. All the vampires were very sorry to have crossed her path that night during patrol.

Haymitch actually _praised_ her.

Well, he said _'Good job, sweetheart'_ but it was the best she had gotten so far. Not that she cared what he thought about her but… Yeah. It was good to know her Watcher believed at least _a little_ in her.

Of course, that feeling of satisfaction didn't last long. The next morning, Madge stopped next to her locker while she was talking with Gale – awkwardly avoiding more questions. She introduced them because she couldn't remember if they knew each other or not and then she regretted it when Madge immediately asked if she had thought about going to the party the next day.

"You're going to Mellark's party?" Gale scoffed in utter disbelief.

"It's not Peeta's party, it's Glimmer's." she corrected through clenched teeth. Gale had been hitting on her nerves for days at this point. He was her best friend but he was also being a pain, refusing to respect boundaries she was trying to put in place for his own safety.

"Oh, sorry… It's _Peeta_ now?" he mocked.

"Why are you like that?" she snapped. "He didn't do anything to you."

Gale stared at her, gaping a little, and then he chuckled. "You're _joking_ , right?" She was being totally serious and her face must have reflected that because he sighed. "You can be so blind sometimes…"

"And you're a pain in the ass." she snapped, shut her locker door and stormed away to her Math class, grumbling under her breath.

Her mood wasn't uplifted by the fact Peeta tried to catch her eyes at several points during the day. She was so desperate to avoid both boys that she lingered in the classroom after her History lesson.

Haymitch studied her for a second, closed the classroom door and sat down on the desk next to hers. "Spill."

Katniss' scowl only deepened. "Why are boys so stupid?"

That clearly wasn't what her mentor had been expecting. Maybe he had thought she had found something demonic. Too bad. It was just about her sucky life.

He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the ceiling with a sigh. "That's something about taking care of teenage girls I haven't missed… Katniss, let's make something clear. I ain't gonna advise you on your boys troubles."

"You don't advise me on much." she complained. "Mostly you shout and insult me. You're _sure_ you passed your Watcher degree or whatever?" She made a face. "And it's not _boys troubles_. It's just my stupid best friend who's upset because that other boy – who I kind of owe 'cause he gave me bread one time or two – invited me to a stupid party."

"Your best friend likes the boy?" he asked in a long-suffering tone. "That qualifies as boys troubles."

"My best friend is Gale. You know, Hazelle's son. And he _hates_ Peeta for whatever reason." she explained. "Try to keep up."

He glared at her a little but, mostly, he looked amused. "Your best friend _who's a boy_ is upset because _another boy_ invited you to a party and you can't figure out why? Maybe I _do_ need to give you some advice after all, sweetheart…" He waved his hand. "You're not going to the party anyway. You've got to patrol. Problem solved."

"Yeah, but that's not that easy." she retorted, ignoring that last part. Nobody had said he was in charge of what she did or didn't do outside of slaying duties and she didn't like the thought he believed himself _entitled_ to refuse her the permission to go out. "'Cause my only other friend aside from Gale…"

"Boy or girl?" he cut her off.

"Girl. Madge." she clarified before going on. " _She_ wants to go and her parents won't let her unless I go with her… So, you see, I think I should go even if I really don't care about a stupid open-invite party…"

He must have been getting bored with the conversation because he startled. "What did you say?"

"About which part?" she deadpanned. She was pretty sure he wasn't that interested in her life problems. He was barely interested in her when it wasn't about training. "I guess you're right anyway. I don't have time to go to a party."

"You're going to the party." he argued.

She frowned. "Can you make up your mind? You just said…"

"Open invite?" he scoffed.

"Peeta said they sent a text to everyone…" she confirmed. "It's open to all."

He was watching her, waiting for her to make a connection. When she didn't, he rolled his eyes. "Fangs included? They need permission to enter a private place but an open invitation will do the trick just as well and the town's crammed with them… They won't resist that kind of free buffet."

He really didn't look pleased about that.

"It's at _The Capitol."_ She waited to see if he knew what that was and when he nodded, she went on. "They could have gotten in anyway. A hotel isn't private property, right?"

"Right." he sighed. "Still. Now we know… You've got to go. Sacred duty to protect the innocents and all that jazz…"

He didn't seem pleased about that either.

"Don't look so glum. I can handle a few vampires." she grumbled.

"Without me as back-up?" he challenged. "We're gonna have to hope so, yeah? Cause I don't think I can blend in with teenagers. Congrats, sweetheart, you're going on your first solo mission. Try not to set yourself on fire, this time."

* * *

 _She's going on her first solo mission! Are you excited? Are you scared? On a scale of one to Hunger Games 10 how bad do you think it will be? Do you feel for Haymitch having to play heart consellor? Let me know your thoughts!_


	4. E1: Katniss the vampire Slayer (4)

4.

* * *

It didn't occur to Katniss that wearing the same worn-off pants and threadbare long-sleeve shirt she had been wearing all day to a party was probably not the norm until Madge's car stopped next to the curb and she spotted the raspberry pink frilly dress the other girl was wearing. She had told her friend to meet her near the school because she didn't want Madge to come to the trailer park. First because Haymitch had been making her even more paranoid than she already was and then because Madge, for all her social awkwardness and lack of a clique, was the mayor's daughter and Katniss was a little ashamed to let her see just how bad her home was.

"Am I overdressed?" Madge asked as soon as Katniss climbed in her car.

The girl looked nervous. Katniss supposed she hadn't been to more parties than she had. Madge usually kept to herself at school.

"I think I'm the one who's underdressed, don't worry." she told her. "You look pretty."

"Thanks." her friend beamed. "I love your hair."

Katniss reached for the complicated braids pinned close to her skull with ambivalent feelings. It was one of those days when Aster remembered she was their mother and, upon learning she was going out, she had insisted on doing her hair. Prim had been so happy to see their mom up that Katniss hadn't protested, knowing that her sister would inevitably be crushed later when she would give in to the depression again.

"Thanks." she muttered.

It didn't matter that she wasn't dressed to impress. She was going only to make sure no vampires crashed the party and that was the only thing that counted. The pants were loose enough to conceal two stakes and, per Haymitch's instructions, she had a knife strapped to her ankle. She would have felt better if she had been able to bring her bow but, as her Watcher had pointed out, it wouldn't have been very inconspicuous.

"Here." Madge said suddenly, taking off a golden pin from her dress. "Wear this." Katniss tried to protest but her friend wouldn't hear of it. "No, take it. Keep it, even. It's my aunt's."

The round pin was shaped like a bird perched on an arrow. She wasn't much for jewelry but it was pretty and it _did_ make her outfit a little less shabby.

"Won't she mind?" she asked.

Madge started the car, apparently not in any hurry to look at her anymore. "She died."

"Oh… Sorry." she winced. "I can't keep it, then. You should…"

"I want you to have it." Madge insisted. "For luck." The girl glanced at her with a brave smile. "A token of friendship."

Katniss smiled back.

The car drive was less awkward than she had feared it would be. She wasn't a great talker and neither was Madge usually but her friend looked both really nervous and really excited by the prospect of a party. From what she said and didn't say, Katniss concluded her parents were _really_ strict about letting her out at night but, given what she now knew, she didn't see how it was bad. She had been very strict with Prim about the hours she kept too lately.

"Is your friend Gale coming?" Madge asked as they drove down the long narrow road that led to the hotel. The woods stretched on either side of the car and, despite herself, Katniss peered at the darkness outside in case…

Haymitch had been trying to hone her detection skills. She was very good at hunting, which helped, but _this_ wasn't about tracks, this was about her reaching out with a sixth sense she wasn't sure really existed and determining how many vampires were around her and _where_. She sucked at vampire detection. She was pretty sure she didn't have that sixth sense he kept berating her about.

"No clue." Gale hadn't been in touch and she hadn't gone out of her way to contact him either. She was still a bit miffed. And the fact that he seemed to use his little brother as a source of information wasn't helping matter. She had told Prim not to talk to Rory about her but she could tell her sister had been a little confused by the unusual request.

"Can I ask…" Madge hesitated. "Are you and Gale… _together_?"

"No." she protested at once. "Why does everyone _think_ that?"

Madge glanced at her and back at the road. She was going ten miles under the speed limit. She was either a careful driver or she wasn't sure she really wanted to arrive to that party. The closer they got to the Capitol, the strongest Katniss already regretted making the decision to go. The prospect of being stuck in a place packed with people she didn't know and who would only be concerned with getting drunk or getting laid wasn't a fun one.

 _Vampires_ , she reminded herself.

"He's… He's a little in love with you, Katniss." the girl offered frankly. "Haven't you noticed?"

"He's _not_." she scoffed. "We've been friends for years."

Madge laughed but she didn't think the girl was making fun of her. "And I thought I was bad with people… Peeta is in love with you too, for the record."

"Peeta isn't in love with me. He's just… _weird_." she corrected.

Madge's smile was knowing but she shrugged. "Whatever you say."

The huge imposing hotel appeared around a corner of the road. Every window was lit, they could hear the music over the sound of the engine, the air seemed to pulse with its beat… The building shone like a beacon in the darkness.

There would be vampires alright.

"Listen." she urged as Madge looked for a parking spot. "Be careful tonight, okay? Don't follow anyone you don't know and _don't_ let anyone take you to the woods."

"Don't worry about me." Her friend flashed her a smile. "I'm always careful. You should be careful too."

Katniss nodded her agreement and squeezed her hand with a feeling of foreboding far too strong to be dismissed. She had felt the same thing when she had left Haymitch's house earlier. He had walked her all the way to the end of the driveway. He had reached for her, then, but had aborted the gesture at the last second. She had wondered if he had wanted to hug her and had given up on it just because it felt too much like a goodbye.

But she _would_ be fine, she told herself firmly as she got off the car. She couldn't die tonight because she had promised Prim she would take her out to the mall in the morning. Her clothes were becoming too small and she had a little extra-cash because slaying vampires, at least, paid well – or _Haymitch_ paid her well but she had decided she didn't want to look at that too closely or she would have been forced to refuse, somehow he always seemed to know when she needed money.

It seemed like the whole school and then some was there.

A few people were scattered in the meadow that stretched around the hotel, laughing and joking together, clutching red cups.

The music, the sound of voices, the number of people… It _aggressed_ her. It was like slamming against an invisible wall. _Repeatedly_.

It was worse inside. The hotel was huge but people remained packed together, crowding the large rooms and making it impossible to turn without bumping into someone. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to find vampires in the middle of this. She tried the sixth sense thing but her other five senses were already overloaded so…

There was a dancefloor in one of the rooms and it was even more crowded than the rest of the place.

Never before had she asked herself what she was doing there so many times in such a short amount of time.

"I don't think I like parties after all." Madge told her – _shouted_ to be heard over the music, really.

She could relate.

They awkwardly hung out with their backs to one of the walls, watching the other teenagers with no idea of what they should have been doing. That was how Katniss noticed the girl flirting with one of the guys from the football team.

Something was _off_ with her.

She looked too old to be there and there was something to the way she moved…

Katniss frowned and watched her. When the girl gestured she wanted to go outside, the guy immediately nodded with an eager smile. Katniss mumbled a hurried excuse to Madge about how she needed to go to the bathroom and followed at a distance. _This,_ she knew how to do. It wasn't too different from hunting.

The vampire didn't bother dragging her prey too far into the surrounding woods, which made it easier for Katniss. The girl had pushed the boy against a trunk and they were kissing. Neither of them noticed her when she slipped behind them, regretting the absence of her bow. She could have taken her from afar and without breaking a sweat.

The vampire _did_ notice when she tapped on her shoulder though. She looked behind her in reflex and Katniss punched her before the vampire realized what was going on.

"Hey!" the guy protested.

"Get out of here." Katniss ordered.

He grabbed her arm. "Who do you think…"

The growl coming from the forest ground got his attention and, when he caught a glimpse of the demonic face in the darkness, he let her go and ran away without even looking back.

"You're going to regret this…" the vampire warned.

"Yeah, that's what they always say…" Katniss sighed.

It didn't take her long to dispatch her but, on her way back, she found another vampire. A guy, this time, steering a clueless cheerleader toward the back of the hotel where there weren't any people who would interrupt them. That one didn't give her much trouble either but she was covered in dust when she found her way back to Madge, against the very same wall she had left her.

"What happened?" her friend asked.

"I fell." she lied.

"On your way to the bathroom?" Madge's eyebrows lifted up and Katniss reluctantly admitted Haymitch had a point when he claimed she was a bad liar. Fortunately, she didn't seem too interested to know what Katniss had really been up to. "I saw Peeta, he was looking for you. He's over there with Cato…"

A chill ran down her spine.

"Cato?" she repeated.

Madge nodded. "He's back, apparently. Weird, right? After more than two weeks…"

 _Weird_ didn't cover it.

She searched the crowd until she spotted them next to one of the bay windows, both of them clutching a red cup. Peeta was nodding at whatever Cato was telling him, a serious expression on his face.

She took a step toward them, not sure how she was going to attract Cato out of there but certain she needed to do something _now_ , when someone grabbed her arm. She spun around and it was a good thing Gale had reflexes because he avoided her punch but stared at her like she had grown a second head.

"What is it with you and wanting to hit me lately?" he grumbled.

"Maybe if you were less of an ass…" she retorted. "What are you doing here?"

Gale's face closed off. "It's an open invite party. I thought I'd check it out."

"You hate parties." she pointed out.

"So do you. Or so I thought." he snapped. "But what do I know, I'm not captain of the wrestling team…"

He was captain of the archery team – a spot that should have been _hers_ because she was better than he was – and she didn't see how it was relevant. The mention of Peeta reminded her that she had a mission that _wasn't_ arguing with Gale though. She turned back toward the windows but the spot where Peeta and Cato had been standing was empty. She looked around frantically but she couldn't see them everywhere.

"Where's Peeta?" she asked.

"Are you _serious?"_ Gale scoffed but she ignored him.

"He went outside with Cato." Madge offered. Her blue eyes darted between Katniss and Gale and then she cleared her throat. "Do you want to dance?"

It seemed to have taken all her courage to ask.

Gale was still staring at Katniss with an intensity she couldn't explain to herself. In the end, an hurt expression on his face, he grabbed Madge's hand and tugged her toward the dancefloor. "Yeah. Yeah, I think I do."

"Stay inside!" she shouted to them.

She wasn't sure if they heard but she didn't have time to make sure. She dashed outside but there was no trace of Peeta or Cato anywhere. She asked the people who were smoking and drinking in the meadow but it took her at least five minutes to find someone coherent enough to point her in the right direction.

Cato already had ten minutes on her.

She tried not to dwell on the fact that ten minutes was all a vampire needed to bleed someone dry.

She tore through the woods at a jog without bothering with discretion. She _liked_ Peeta, she was annoyed to realize. Sure, he was wealthier than her and there was the whole _charity_ thing but… Peeta had _always_ been nice to her, even when _she_ hadn't been, and she liked him. She wouldn't have said they were friends but she wouldn't have called Madge a friend either until she had said it first so what did she know?

Well, she _did_ know she really didn't like the idea of her friends becoming vampire snacks.

Somewhere up ahead, a boy screamed.

It was good, she told herself, if Peeta could scream then he was still alive.

When she found them, Cato was wearing his game face, yellow eyes and fangs all accounted for, and Peeta was trying to keep him at a distance by waving a big branch. His neck was bleeding but so was Cato's nose.

"Katniss, get away!" Peeta panicked when he saw her. "He's… He's some kind of _monster_!"

"You always were a little _prick_." Cato spat. "I can't believe I was going to turn you."

That made Katniss' blood run cold.

She liked the thought of Peeta turning into a vampire even less than she liked the idea of him becoming a snack.

"Run!" Peeta screamed again, waving his branch like a club. "I'll buy you time!"

Cato grabbed the branch with a sigh, as if it was a huge inconvenience, and tore it out of Peeta's hands, making him lose his balance. Katniss jumped in between them and hurled the vampire against a tree with a flying kick, pulling her stake from the small of her back at the same time.

"Now, you're making me angry…" Cato growled.

He had rolled from his fall into a crouch and he pounced on her without giving her time to regroup or think. He was on the wrestling team with Peeta and it _showed_. Instinct and her relentless training with Haymitch gave her a small edge but he had years of practice she didn't have. It only took her two minutes to figure out it would be a difficult fight and it wasn't helped at all by the knowledge that Peeta was hovering nearby, waiting for an opening to enter the fray.

She didn't need him to get hurt on top of everything.

"Get out of here!" she shouted at him and the second of distraction cost her dearly.

Cato's backhand slap sent her flying in the air and she hit a tree with a huff. She was pretty sure it would have broken a normal person's back. She was just a little stiff and sore when she got back to her feet.

"What _are_ you?" Cato hissed, watching her a little more warily.

Preys who wouldn't stay down weren't common, she supposed.

"She's the one who has been killing my minions after I went to _a lot_ of troubles to find pretty ones."

The woman came out of the trees on their right with two other vampires in tow. She was strikingly beautiful. Blond hair held away from her face with multiples tiny braids, blue eyes, fair skin and a pretty black dress that must have been very expensive.

Katniss suddenly understood what Haymitch meant by _vampire senses_ because _that_ one triggered them all. The thingling at the base of her nape was driving her crazy. And she was certain, without knowing how, that the woman was powerful and old and probably much more than she could take.

Cato had fallen back with an odd sort of deference at the vampire's entrance and Peeta immediately rushed to Katniss' side, the makeshift club back in his hands as if it really could be useful against any of the four vampires.

"What the _hell_?" he whispered.

"Vampires." she supplied, fishing her spare stake out of her pocket and handing it out to him.

He stared at it, then back at her. "You're joking."

"I wish." She tried to add some bravado to her voice but the truth was that she was terrified. When the woman moved, everything seemed to _flow_. A little like Haymitch when he really bothered to fight but also a lot more graceful than anything her mentor could ever hope to achieve. That vampire was a warrior. Katniss tilted her chin up stubbornly and adjusted her grip on her stake. "Who are you?"

She would have told Peeta to run if she had thought it would help but, while she was pretty sure the woman wouldn't go after him, Cato and the two other vampires probably _would_.

"Your death. _Slayer_." the woman mocked.

A tilt of her head and the two vampires at her side rushed to Katniss. Those didn't have Cato's skills and were probably still pretty new. She dispatched the first one with a few kicks and one good hit to the chest. The second one used that time to attack Peeta but his branch and his clumsy attempts at stabbing him in the heart had slowed the vampire down enough that Katniss could hit him from behind while he was distracted.

Then, of course, Cato jumped on her from the side and she was back to trying to contain him and keep an eye on the woman at the same time.

"You _are_ a pretty one. And strong too." the old vampire purred at Peeta. "I might keep you…"

Irritation gave Katniss the boost she needed and she used a turning kick to send Cato flying straight into the woman.

"Run!" she screamed to Peeta while the two vampires were still busy trying to untangle themselves and get up. She didn't leave him a choice, she grabbed his wrist and pulled him along. There were crashing noises behind them and she just knew Cato and the strange vampire were hot on their heels. They emerged out of the woods panting but Katniss didn't slow down, not until they had reached the lights flooding out of the hotel's windows.

The music was still loud and deafening, people were still laughing and dancing inside… Here, in the meadow, nothing had changed.

She came to an abrupt stop and whirled around, forcing Peeta to turn with her because she still had a deadly grip on his wrist. She half expected to see the blonde vampire stroll out of the woods and straight to them but nobody walked out from between the trees. Everything was calm. As if nothing at all had happened.

They remained there, frozen, for several minutes, and then the stake Peeta was still clutching with his free hand fell to the ground in a dull sound. "I guess it's really _not_ like _Twilight…_ "

"Katniss!" Gale called out.

She turned her head in time to see her best friend striding toward her, Madge right behind him. They were both looking at them with wide frightened eyes but Madge started running before Gale because the boy's eyes had locked on the fingers coiled around Peeta's wrist.

"You're hurt!" Madge gasped, reaching for her cheek. And now that she said it and that the adrenaline was coming down, Katniss' cheekbone started throbbing. So did her shoulder for that matter. She had landed badly on it.

" _What did you do to her_?" Gale hissed with a fury Katniss had never heard coming from him.

Before she could react, Peeta's arm had been torn from her grip. Gale had grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and had slammed him against the outer wall of the hotel. The commotion attracted attention and a few boys started shouting " _Fight! Fight! Fight_!" like it was some sort of game.

"Let me go." Peeta demanded.

"Let him go." Katniss seconded in a tone that broke no argument.

Gale tossed her an incredulous look. "Are you kidding me? Did you see yourself? I swear if he _touched_ you I…"

"Peeta didn't hurt me." she snapped. She wedged herself in between them and shoved Gale back. "Stop being an idiot."

Gale stared at her, ran his hand in his hair and then scoffed. "Yeah. I guess I'm the idiot for coming to this stupid party in the first place."

He stormed away before she could even try to answer that.

"That's the second time you save me tonight. I feel like a damsel in distress." Peeta commented behind her. And then he was laughing and there was a hysterical tinge to it that made Katniss wince.

"You need to go to the hospital." Madge said quietly. " _Both_ of you."

"No, I'm fine." she denied. "I need to…" _Find Haymitch and tell him about the blond vampire_. But what was she going to do with Peeta? The boy was still laughing. She was pretty sure Cato hadn't drunk enough from him to make the blood loss dangerous but there were scrapes on his face and she didn't trust him not to spill everything to the first person he saw – namely Madge. She needed to make him swear that he would keep silent. "Peeta, do you have a car? I'll drive you home."

He nodded, still laughing, and Katniss rolled his eyes at him. She hadn't been _that_ hysterical when she had found herself face to face with vampires.

"You should go home too." she told Madge.

She didn't want to leave her friend alone when vampires were around. Hell, she didn't want to leave _anyone_ when vampires were around but she needed to _regroup_. Playing it clever had always been the plan. _Survive_ was rule number one. She was certain she wouldn't survive a fight against the blond vampire.

Madge, fortunately, didn't even discuss it. They all headed to the parking lot. Peeta had stopped laughing but he still occasionally chuckled to himself like a mad person. He handed her the keys of his SUV and she faltered for a moment because the car looked brand new and far too big. But she wasn't going to let that stop her. She sat behind the wheel, fumbled around with the seat because Peeta was too tall and she could barely reach the pedals as it was, and waited until he had strapped himself in before turning the ignition on.

The car moved two feet and then stalled.

She started the engine again without looking at Peeta.

After three attempts, the car kept on stalling and they weren't even out of the parking lot but at least Peeta had stopped chuckling.

"Do you know how to drive?" he asked.

There was no judgment but there was some fondness as if she was currently doing something particularly cute. She had no clue what could be going through his head and she wasn't going to admit she had never learned how to drive.

"How hard can it be?" she retorted.

He smiled a soft smile and shook his head. "Let's switch seats. I'm good to drive now."

She eyed the wound on his neck dubiously but he looked calmer and alert so she shrugged her acceptance.

"Can you drop me at Haymitch's?" she asked once they were driving down the road that led back into town.

"Haymitch?" he frowned.

"Mr Abernathy." she clarified.

That gave him more pause than the vampire thing had earlier and, for a second, she was scared he would start laughing again. "The History teacher? Why do you want to go to our History teacher's house in the middle of the night?"

"Because he's my Watcher." she sighed.

He was silent for a few minutes and then winced and shrugged. "Yeah, no… I can turn that sentence around in my head, the only way it's making sense is creepy."

She rolled her eyes. "Look, it's complicated. He's helping me with the…"

She let her sentence trail off, not sure she wanted to set him off again. And maybe he wanted to pretend none of this had happened. She would understand. People developed incredible powers of persuasion in that sort of situations.

" _Vampires_." he finished. "Who are _real_." She remained silent and he must have taken that for a confirmation that he wasn't crazy because he continued. "She called you _slayer_ … And you took down those _vampires_ … And _when_ did you learn to fight like _that_? And how long has this been going on?"

Katniss sighed and slid down her seat a little.

So much for secrecy.

* * *

 _So they_ did _survive! But now Peeta knows... How do you think he will deal with that? Does Madge know more than she lets on? Will Haymitch kill Katniss when he learns she failed to keep her cover? Who is the blond vampire? So many questions! Did you have fun? Let me know all your thoughts!_


	5. E1: Katniss the vampire Slayer (5)

5.

* * *

Haymitch's hands were shaking but he _wasn't_ going to drink.

He paced the length of the kitchen, staring at the phone when he wasn't staring at the clock or at the half-full bottles of moonshine lining the counter.

She should have been back by now. Or she should have called.

 _He shouldn't have sent her out there alone. She wasn't ready._

But they were _never_ ready. And he had always had troubles letting them head into danger alone. He didn't believe in patting his Slayer's back and shoving her in the direction of danger. He believed in having her back, in being out there with her, in keeping them as safe as he could…

But he couldn't hold her hand forever and it was a simple enough mission. Go to a party, kill a few lone vampires who would inevitably be attracted by the young and excited teenagers… It wasn't _that_ dangerous. She was capable of doing it. He knew she was. Just like she could have taken over patrolling on her own by now.

He was training her, he had taught her the basics, it was time to give her some leeway, to let her fly…

 _But some baby birds needed more time than others and what if…_

He stared at the phone, willing it to ring and dreading it in the same breath. The Council would call if another Slayer awoke somewhere else. At least if it was one of the known Potentials, if it was a rogue one it might take longer to figure it out. Coin in person would tell him because the Head of The Council always informed the Watcher. Out of courtesy. It would only be the sixth time that happened in twenty years. No biggie.

And it wasn't like he really cared about the kid.

He had known her two weeks. No time to get attached at all. She was irritating anyway, not at all lovable. Not like Annie. Not like Cecelia. Not even like Jo because Jo's punk attitude had been endearing somehow. Katniss was annoying and self-centered – or sister-centered rather – and brash and reckless and he wasn't attached to her at all.

No, he wasn't.

 _Fuck it all_.

He stopped pacing and headed straight for the trunk full of good weapons he kept in the living-room – he kept one in every room, really, even the bathroom because there was nothing more awkward than demons attacking the house when you were _busy_ in there; true story, Jo had laughed at him for _hours_ afterwards. He would go to _The Capitol_ and he would test the water. If he found his missing Slayer, he would _kill_ her himself. If he didn't, he would look for her until he found her and then could kill her himself.

The noise of an engine coming down the street made him switch targets fast. His hand flew to the hilt of the knife he always kept at the small of his back and he marched toward the front door.

Nobody ever came up here unless they had business with him. Or unless they were demons. He wasn't in the mood for demons.

By the time he had tossed the front door open, the car was lining up the curb in front of his house. The headlights blinded him and he lifted his hand to shield his eyes. Then, of course, he caught sight of Katniss' familiar figure hopping out of the SUV and he _finally_ allowed himself to _breathe._

She almost _ran_ all the way up to the door and he could tell she was spooked by something but his eyes soon darted to the boy hesitantly trailing after her. A boy who looked like he had been in some brawl and who had a distinctive wound on his neck.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess you've blown rule number two." he sneered at her.

She sneered right back but it was lacking her usual fire. She looked tired and frightened. _Small_. There was an impressive bruise forming on her cheek and she was holding her left arm close to her body. He gripped her chin between his fingers, ignoring her instinctive flinch, and tilted her head to the side so he could see better in the dim light coming from inside. Whatever had happened, it had been a bad fight. He brushed his fingers against the bruise in something that _wasn't_ an affectionate gesture because he _didn't_ care about her _at all_.

"Good job at following rule number one." he whispered with far less casualness than he would have liked.

He stepped aside to let her in and then gestured at the boy to follow her in with a sharp jerk of his chin. The kid didn't look any better than his Slayer did.

He sat them down in the kitchen and got the first aid kit out while they told him what had happened. The boy – Peeta, as the kid helpfully reminded him even though he had been sitting in his class for two weeks – did most of the talking, he couldn't help but notice as he cleaned and bandaged the puncture wounds on his neck.

He was taking the whole vampire thing pretty well all things considered.

Haymitch decided he could take care of the various scrapes on his face and hands himself and turned to Katniss to take care of her own injuries. The girl had curled up on one of the kitchen chairs, legs hugged tight to her chest with her good arm, with a forlorn expression on her face. She didn't fight him off when he started smearing some cream on her cheek. The bone might have been broken, he wasn't sure. She would heal more quickly than a normal human though so it didn't warrant a trip to the ER.

He had been more focused on her injury than on the detailed tale of her apparently _epic_ battle with that missing-kid-turned-vampire – the boy clearly had a bad case of hero worship and/or a deep crush on her. Then Peeta mentioned a blond woman who gave him the creep. And Katniss flinched.

"What?" he asked her.

Katniss' face hardened into her usual stubbornness before suddenly deflating into something a lot more fragile. "I think she was a Master."

"There are no more Masters in this part of the country." he countered. "The last one was banished to a hell dimension after… Well, he was banished. I was there. If there was a Master around, we'd know, sweetheart, trust me. They're not subtle with the _I want to destroy the world every other Sunday_ routine."

She shook her head. "She was old, Haymitch. And… She was powerful. I didn't even fight her and I know that she could have killed me without breaking a sweat."

He took that in strides. "Old doesn't mean she's a Master. Masters were born directly from the old demons. Sure, she could have been _sired_ by a Master but…"

"You keep telling me to listen to my instinct. I'm telling you." she cut him off. "That one's dangerous."

"Okay." he said quietly. " _Okay_. I believe you. It doesn't mean we can't kill her, it just means we have to be careful about it. If she's old, she's probably mentioned somewhere in the Watchers journals. Did you get a name or something that could help identify her?"

She shook her head no. "She knew I was the Slayer."

"Most vampires who weren't born yesterday would recognize a Slayer on sight, sweetheart." he commented. "But that does tend to prove she knows her stuff."

"You don't have your happy teacher face on." Peeta pointed out. "How bad can it get?"

"Haymitch doesn't _have_ a happy teacher face." Katniss grumbled. "And I told you in the car you should just go home and forget everything."

"I _do_ have a happy teacher face. Students who confuse World War One and World War Two just don't get to see it." Haymitch argued with a pointed look.

She rolled her eyes. "You can't expect me to pass a test when you keep me up until two am to chase vampires through a cemetery the night before."

He elected to ignore that to address the main problem. "She's right, kid. You should go home and forget."

Peeta, not entirely unexpectedly, frowned. "But I want to _help_."

"It's too dangerous." Haymitch declared firmly. "Look, I know…"

"No, you _don't_." the boy cut him off. "If you think I will let Katniss risk her life alone, you're _wrong_. I _can_ be useful."

"Unless you've got magic powers or supernatural strength you didn't tell us about…" he mocked.

"How about a picture of that vampire?" Peeta retorted.

Haymitch opened his mouth and then closed it. " _Did_ you take a picture of that vampire?"

He couldn't imagine anyone being that stupid in the middle of a fight but in this era of cell phones and selfies and what not, he wouldn't have sworn it was impossible. Although it was unlikely given the way Katniss was looking at the other kid.

"No." Peeta answered with a touch of smugness. "But I can draw her. And I can help you look afterwards."

Three people wouldn't be too few to go through all the journals… And there was no harm in letting him do that, he supposed. As long as the boy didn't get involved in anything more physical…

"Fine." he spat, fetching a notepad from one of the kitchen drawer and tossing it on the table. "Turn around and start drawing. And, Katniss, take that shirt off so I can check your shoulder." He glared at the boy. "I catch you peeking, you're gonna be sorry that vampire didn't finish you off, we're clear?"

"I wouldn't!" Peeta scoffed, clearly offended by the very notion.

"Draw. Then we hit the library." he grumbled.

"You have a library?" she frowned. And he figured he had never showed her the room full of old volumes that would have been enough to give anyone nightmares. Some of them were from his own collection, others he had inherited along with the house…

Katniss tried to slip her shirt off with difficulties – and it was a good thing she was wearing a sport bra or it would have made it more awkward for both of them – and that was when the pin caught his eyes. For a second, the kitchen seemed to spin under his feet.

"Where did you get that?" he barked, reaching for the familiar golden bird.

Katniss recoiled, pressing a hand over the pin so he couldn't grab it. "It was a gift. What's your problem?"

A gift?

 _A coincidence,_ he told himself. _Just_ a coincidence. There were probably a lot of those pins around. It might not be the same one. His memories might not even be that reliable. It had been twenty years ago, after all.

But the mention of a Master vampire and now _that_ pin? The last time he had seen it, it had been tainted rusty with blood.

A coincidence. _Just_ a coincidence.

"Nothing." he grumbled. He glanced at Peeta whose back was still turned to them. "Hurry up with that drawing, boy."

"You can't rush an artist." the kid replied.

Katniss was still watching him with mistrust but she finally freed her injured shoulder from her shirt and let him probe and poke at the ugly bruise forming underneath. It wasn't dislocated, which was good, but it was swollen, which wasn't. Thattrip to the ER might not have been off the table after all.

"We'll figure it out." He applied a generous amount of cream on the bruises and hoped for the best. If it wasn't better in a couple of hours, he would take her to the hospital. "It will be fine, sweetheart."

"You're the one always saying I should be ready to die." she pointed out. She forced her arm back into the sleeve of the shirt with clenched teeth. "Now I get why." She shot him a glare. "But if I die you _can't_ forget your promise. You said you would…"

He barely registered the sound of breaking glass but shielding her with his body was instinctive. It turned out not to have been such a bad idea because a paving stone bounced not too far from them, leaving a dent on the wood of the kitchen table. And a draft through the broken window Peeta immediately rushed to.

"Don't get too close!" Haymitch ordered, already reaching for the stock of stakes he kept in one of the drawers. Katniss had drawn the one she had on her but she was also inspecting the projectile.

Peeta took a few precipitated steps back. "Katniss said they couldn't come in unless you invite them in!"

"Doesn't mean they can't grab you and drag you out." he deadpanned, carefully nearing the window. He couldn't see anything outside. Nothing was moving. Not that it meant anything.

"Haymitch." Katniss' voice was frail.

By the time he turned around, Peeta had already crossed the room to her side to place a supportive hand on her shoulder. She was holding a crumpled paper stained with blood that had probably be wrapped around the stone.

There were the kids with their selfies and there were the vampires with their archaic methods.

"I have the thing you love most." she read out loud. "Midnight at the Hanging Tree."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Peeta frowned.

"Prim…" she breathed out and, before Haymitch could do anything to stop her, she was rushing out of the kitchen. Peeta grabbed her around the waist just before she reached the front door. "Let me go!"

The hit on his kidney couldn't have been anything but painful and the boy did let her go but Haymitch was right there this time, bodily blocking her path.

"Stop and _think_ , sweetheart." he urged her. "That might be their plan. Maybe they're out there, waiting for you to come out so they can jump on you."

"Or maybe they've got Prim." she hissed.

She took a step closer to the door, he lifted both hands in front of him as much to keep her at a distance as to put another obstacle between her and the outside world. Ridiculous as it was. Nothing would stop a Slayer who wanted out of a room.

" _How_?" he insisted. "You came straight here. They followed you _here_. They've got no clue where you live." He was _finally_ getting to her, he could see it. Realization was dawning in her eyes as the tension slowly left her shoulders. "They've got _zero_ clue you've got a sister. All they know about you is that you're the Slayer. You're…"

Peeta made a strangled noise and they both turned to look at him, tension rising another notch. "You said when you become a vampire you keep your memories? So… They're the same people?"

"They lose their souls." Haymitch explained, taking pain to keep his voice patient because it wouldn't take much to make Katniss explode and he was a little too scared of what would happen when she did. "They're demons in your friends or your family's bodies. But, yeah, they remember when they were human, they just don't care. _Yeah_."

"Okay, so…" Peeta winced. "Cato… He knows about Katniss… And Prim… Because… We were good friends and…"

And the kid had a crush on the girl, which meant he had talked about her at length with him.

" _Shit_." he spat, his eyes darting back to Katniss. "Okay. Okay. We go to your place but we're clever about it, sweetheart. You follow my lead."

"Not anymore." she hissed.

And with that ominous statement, she was out the door. She took off at a run and nothing attacked her but he still cursed and forgot about even trying to grab more weapons before following.

Peeta was already running to his car so Haymitch followed. They caught up with her as she was about to exit the ghost village he lived in. She climbed in the car without a word but glared at Peeta so hard the poor boy flinched and sped up.

"It's not his fault." Haymitch said quietly, his voice breaking the tense silence in the car.

"If they found Prim because of him, it _is_." she snapped.

"There are plenty of people who know about your situation, Katniss." he pointed out. "Cato could have directed that vampire toward any of them and the end result would have been the same. You want to blame someone, blame the vampires."

"I'm sorry." Peeta added pitifully and he _did_ sound sorry. "I didn't know…"

"No way you could have known." Haymitch sighed. "This ain't on you, kid."

Katniss was biting down on her nails by the time they reached the trailer park. It really was the most miserable part of town. Upturned garbage bins spilling their contents on the streets, sketchy people lurking in the shadows – and not the fangy sort of lurkers either – trailers and little shacks that were barely _decent_ …

He was going to have to do something about that eventually. He had known it was bad from what she _wasn't_ telling him, he hadn't known it was _that_ bad.

Katniss jumped out of the car before Peeta had even stopped it properly. Nothing really set the Everdeen's trailer apart from all the others around it. It looked just as small and in bad shape.

Haymitch was too old and too sober to run after kids with superhuman stamina. He was out of breath by the time he passed the threshold in her wake. The room was small and, aside for a ginger cat that hissed at him, absolutely empty. Katniss had already moved on to the next room, her and her sister's bedroom, he figured.

"Prim!"

The despair was clear in her voice and Haymitch remained close to the entrance, out of the way. Peeta wisely stayed back too, watching the girl run around the trailer as if her sister was going to jump out of a cupboard screaming _surprise._

"There's no trace of a fight." he pointed out between two calls of her sister's name. "Either they didn't grab her here or…"

Katniss considered this and then marched into what must have been the other bedroom. This time, Haymitch followed because there was a murderous glint in his Slayer's eyes. The bedroom was small and there wasn't much to see aside for a woman asleep in the middle of the bed, clutching the picture of a man he supposed to be Katniss' father. It wasn't the way he had been planning on meeting the girl's mother.

"Mom!" she called, brutally shaking her awake. "Mom! Where's Prim? What happened here? Mom!"

It took a long time to rouse her and when she did wake up, it was with heavy fluttering eyelids.

Haymitch's eyes darted to the bedside table and wasn't surprised to find a collection of pills bottles. Sleeping pills or something equivalent.

"Katniss, you're back…" the woman muttered in a sluggish tone. "Your friend was looking for you…"

"What friend?" she asked, shaking her some more. "Where's Prim?"

Haymitch placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her. She wasn't controlling herself and he was afraid she would hurt the woman. She glared at him but let her mother go. He didn't take his hand away.

"He was so polite… He asked if I minded if he waited inside…" Aster mumbled. "Prim said she'd keep him company. I was so tired… My headaches…"

" _You let him in_?" Katniss screeched.

The woman finally seemed to pick up that something wasn't right. "What's wrong?" And then she spotted him and she frowned. "Who are you?"

"A friend." he answered. "Everything's fine. Go back to sleep."

It would have been harder for her to wake up completely than to follow that order and he didn't wait around to see which way she would choose to do it. He guided Katniss back into the main room, squeezing her shoulder when she leaned a little against him.

"She let him in…" she whispered. "She _let him in_."

"She didn't know." he tempered.

"She hardly _ever_ gets up. And the only time she _does_ …" she insisted.

"Katniss." he said firmly, forcing her to look at him. "Prim is still alive. She's their hostage."

And it was a miracle their mother was still alive.

"They want to kill me, why would they keep her alive?" she retorted and then her eyes grew wide. "What if they turn her? I can't… _I can't…"_

He wasn't equipped to deal with crying teenagers so he did the only thing he could think of: he hugged her tight and met Peeta's desperate gaze over her shoulder.

"You need to finish the drawing and we need to figure out who this vampire is." he declared. "Once we know who she is, we can figure out how to operate. And _you_ …" He drew Katniss away from him so he could look her in the eyes. "You need to _calm down_. Your sister ain't dead until we see a body, yeah?"

Her lips were wobbling and she was sniffing but she made an effort to jerk her chin up. "Yeah."

Now to the battle plan…

* * *

 _Being a Watcher is hard, people. And now Prim is misssssssing. Will they find her in time? Let me know your thoughts!_


	6. E1: Katniss the vampire Slayer (6)

6.

* * *

"This isn't working out." Katniss snapped, tossing away the diary she had been skimming through. It hit the table with a soft _thud_ and a cloud of dust.

Haymitch glared at her, like he had glared at her every time she had mistreated one of his precious books so far, but she ignored him. She bolted on her feet and started pacing, too anxious to stay still any longer. At least her shoulder had stopped throbbing sometimes in the early hours of the morning and she could use it again now…

It was probably a good thing the library was so big, it gave her room to walk around and burn some energy. It occupied a whole section of the house, it stretched on two floors and had the tallest rows of bookshelves she had ever seen in her life, all full of obscures tomes and magic volumes. A whole section of it was dedicated to all the journals of previous Watchers – and there were _a lot_ of those journals – and all those dating from the last century or so were currently piled on the huge round table that was at the centre of the ground floor.

The drawing Peeta had finished in a rush, a perfect likeness to the woman they had met in the woods, laid on the table as a reference. But the fact was that they were looking for a needle in a haystack. There _were_ drawings and prints in some of the journals but not of _every_ vampire that had crossed path with the Slayers.

It was now ten in the morning, they had spent half the night bent over those books and she was nowhere closer to figuring out who the vampire was, how to take her out or where her sister was.

And she was sick and tired or reading about dead girls. Those journals were nothing else but paper tombs and one day she would get one of her own.

Which was probably why Haymitch had grabbed the most recent ones. He was strangely reluctant to share anything about his previous charges and since she didn't want to get a headache trying to decipher his handwriting she hadn't protested. She had noticed he had spent a lot of time on one particular diary though. _Maysilee Donner_ , the label on the spine said. The dates put her back to around twenty years earlier so she figured she had been one of his first Slayers. For all she knew, he was feeling nostalgic.

The fact remained they were getting nowhere.

"Maybe you should try to get some rest." Peeta suggested, rubbing his eyes. "If you have to fight tonight…"

"Maybe you should go home." she retorted. She wasn't sure why Peeta was still there at all. Haymitch had been hammering the fact that nobody could find out about her inside her head from the start and she was still waiting for him to shout at her about breaking the rules. Instead, he had accepted Peeta's offer for help without as much as a blink.

"You've been here all night." Haymitch cut in, without the hostility that dripped from her own voice. "You should call your folks, at least."

"They won't notice I'm gone." He opened another journal with renewed determination. "Nobody would miss me if I disappeared."

Haymitch stared at him a little strangely but then they both went back to reading as if it was really the answer to _anything_.

"This isn't working." Katniss snarled again, snatching the crumpled note the vampires had tossed through the window. It was bloodstained. Was it Prim's? Was she hurt? Was she… Haymitch insisted they would keep her alive but he might very well be lying to keep her calm. "What's even the _Hanging Tree_?" she scoffed. "She writes that like I should know what it is…"

Haymitch let out a long suffering sigh and, when he spoke, he sounded strangely reluctant. "It's the only tree in the meadow between _The_ _Capitol_ and the woods."

"You mean the lightning tree?" Peeta frowned, looking up from his diary.

She stopped pacing in disbelief. "What? The old burned stump?"

The tree had been struck by lightning decades ago. For as long as she could remember, people had been talking about removing it but, somehow, it never got done.

"It wasn't lightning." Haymitch explained. After a second, he fished the flask out of his pocket and took a swing. Katniss gritted her teeth and she would have slapped it right out of his hand if he hadn't put it away after a single mouthful. His voice was steadier but there was a strange note in it. For a moment, she wondered if it was _fear_. "It was magic."

"Magic is real?" Peeta gaped.

"Really, boy?" her mentor snorted. "Vampires and Slayer don't throw you but _magic_ does?"

"Hey, I waited for my Hogwarts letter like everybody else." Peeta joked and then tossed a guilty glance at Katniss. "Sorry. Not a good time for jokes. The tree. Why is it important?"

"It's not the tree. It's what is _under_ the tree." Haymitch mumbled. He looked exhausted all of a sudden. His shoulders slouched as if he was bearing the weight of his forty years and Katniss might have felt a little more sorry for him if her sister hadn't been kidnapped by vampires. He passed a hand over his face, let it linger in front of his mouth for a second and then dropped it on the wooden table. "The tree is on top of a Hellmouth."

"A Hellmouth." Katniss repeated flatly.

"The name's pretty self-explanatory, really." her Watcher winced. "It's a supernatural hot spot. Attracts all kind of nasty things… It's a place where barriers between dimensions are thin. To put it more simply… It's…"

"A hole to hell." she finished.

"If you open it." he temporized. "But it's not open now and nobody's opening it. That would take rituals, time and more juice than one vampire alone can have." He stared at the journal in his hand and then shook his head. "Like I said… It attracts evil. And it's in the middle of a flat land where she will see you coming."

"She probably just wants to brag about having killed the Slayer on top of the hole to hell." she scowled.

"She ain't gonna kill you, Katniss." he spat. "You ain't dying today."

"Changed your tune quickly." she sneered. "Yesterday you were all about reminding me that I was five seconds away from biting the dust." She crumpled the note in her fist and tossed it back on the table. "We need to _do_ something."

"How about finding them _now_?" Peeta suggested. "I mean… They can't go out during the day, right? So they must be hiding somewhere…"

"And _where_ do you want us to look?" she snapped. "You want us to walk around at random until we find them? Vampires don't _really_ sleep in coffins, Peeta."

Haymitch slammed his hand on the table, the sudden noise was enough to make them both jump.

"Stop fighting." he growled. "You're giving me a headache." He was studying Peeta with curiosity though. "The boy's idea ain't bad, sweetheart… If we could find them… It would still be a long shot. You dusted a few of her minions but we know she at least still has that kid with her…"

"Cato." Katniss reminded him. "And he's going to be a problem too. He's a more experienced fighter than I am."

"I can take care of Cato." Peeta said. "I'm used to fighting with him at practice."

"You're not coming." she declared and then tossed her hands in the air in frustration. "And we've got no place to go anyway. We don't know where they are."

"If she's as old and powerful as you say… She's probably an arrogant one too. They always are…" Haymitch muttered thoughtfully. He seemed to have come to a decision and hauled himself to his feet. "Okay. New plan. Boy, you keep on trying to figure out who the vampire is. Girl, grab some weapons, we're taking a field trip."

"A field trip." she spat.

"Yeah." he confirmed, checking that his hunting knife was at the small of his back. "I'm gonna teach you how to beat up informants."

A little bit of violence actually didn't sound that bad at that second so she followed him out the door.

And, surprise of surprises, it turned out he could _actually_ drive a bike.

°O°O°O°O°O°

Haymitch pushed the bike harder than he had in a long time, harder than was probably wise given that he had only had a couple of mouthfuls of liquor in the last twenty-four hours and that he could already feel the telltale signs of withdrawals. He didn't like riding with a passenger either, they usually were an hindrance and Katniss was no exception. She clung to his waist but didn't have the experience needed to move with him when he took sharp turns or tried to move his body along with the bike to gain speed.

The fact that he was maneuvering in narrow alleys wasn't helping either.

Eventually, he stopped the bike in front of a nondescript door and Katniss hopped down and immediately scowled when she spotted the decrepit sign hanging next to the door by only one hinge.

" _Ripper's Bar_?" She was already getting angry. "We have better things to do than getting you a fix, Haymitch!"

He rolled his eyes, trying to keep a lid on his own temper because hers was grating on his nerves. He grabbed the cutlass he had stashed in the side saddle and clenched and unclenched his fist around the hilt a few times. His grip wasn't as steady as he would have liked.

"It's a demon bar." he grumbled. "Keep your bow ready, be your usual charming self and let me do the talking." Katniss's scowl only deepened and he snorted. "Yeah, just like that. Anyone ever told you you've got as much charm as a dead slug?" And with that parting shot, he headed to the door, only pausing long enough to survey the dark alley one last time. It didn't look so frightening in plain day but it didn't mean nobody was lurking in the shadows. "Anyone so much as _touches_ that bike and that's the last thing they're ever gonna do."

Something receded in the shadows. Wise choice. He might still have got some intimidation left in him after all.

A little bell jingled when he pushed the door open and, in the very real cliché of every cowboy movie that ever existed, a hush fell on the bar. Next to him, he heard Katniss suck in a breath when she took in the collection of patrons. Demons, a couple of vampires, one or two regular humans…

"Well, ain't you a jolly bunch." he mocked, loud enough to be heard in the whole bar.

"So the rumors _are_ true. Abernathy's back in town." the old woman behind the bar spat out with venom. To be fair, he hadn't expected Ripper to be happy to see him again. He was pretty sure he had left a huge tab the last time he had skipped town.

She could have passed for a human if she had tried but the little bumps on her forehead betrayed her half-bred origins.

She reached for something under the counter and, before he could react, Katniss had let loose an arrow. It had been a warning shot. The mirror behind the bar, the one quite a few people in there didn't reflect into, shattered.

"Easy, sweetheart…" he chuckled. "She only got the one arm now… Would be a shame to take off the only one left, yeah?" He glanced around, most of the demons in there were inoffensive and were working hard on looking as harmless as possible. The vampires though, they would try to bolt before long. "Slayer's a little cranky so it's probably best if everyone sits tight. Best to avoid misunderstandings."

He grabbed one of the stools and slammed his cutlass on the counter, glaring at the old woman. "How about you give me a whiskey. With some information."

Katniss remained standing next to him, watching the group of vampires with attention. Either she had noticed how nervous they looked or she had identified the biggest threat in the room.

"The last Slayer you brought here cut my arm off." Ripper growled.

"You sold her bad intel." Haymitch shrugged. "Just be happy she didn't take off your head." He nodded at Katniss. "Should warn you this one ain't half as nice as Donner was. She's hitching to kill you, I can tell. Ain't you, sweetheart?"

Katniss didn't answer but she drummed her fingers on her bow a little impatiently. There wasn't a demon in that bar who wasn't staring at those drumming fingers.

"Your mother was decent." Ripper hissed. "Doing business with her was…"

"You leave my mother where she is." he cut her off, ignoring Katniss' curious look. "I'm still waiting for that whiskey. The fine stuff, please."

He played with the cutlass the whole time it took her to pour him a glass and slide it on the counter. He took an unhurried sip, pretending he couldn't tell his Slayer's temper was close to blowing out. She was fed up with his antics, he could feel it, but he was playing a long game here. _Ripper's_ was a good place to find information and beating everyone up every time was less effective than making it worth the old woman's time.

Ripper had never been a very patient woman anyway.

"What do you want?" the half-demon asked after only a handful of seconds, eyeing Katniss with open distrust. "You know I don't sell out my customers. Bad for business."

She had sold out her customers plenty of times before but never in front of an audience. She hadn't stayed alive that long by being stupid.

He finished his whiskey in a long mouthful, the familiar sense of calm falling over him when the alcohol settled in his stomach.

"We're looking for a vamp." he told her. "Blond. Pretty. Sniffing around the Hellmouth…"

There was some shuffling over the vampires corner. Katniss' bow turned in that direction.

Ripper had noticed too, she was watching them, disgust and anger battling on her face, probably because she knew what would follow. "She's never been in here but I've heard stuff, yeah. No chance you can take it outside? It's just… I've _just_ had the interior redone."

"You haven't bought anything new in this bar in thirty years." he mocked.

"Half a life for you, a blink for me." the woman deadpanned.

And then, predictably, the vampires bolted.

He didn't bother standing up. He had seen Katniss shoot before, after all.

Three arrows found hearts easily and dust rose, hiding her from view for a moment. When it settled down, she had the fourth vampire pinned down on the floor, a hand around his throat. And she was scorning at him.

"Where's my sister?" she hissed.

The vampire's eyes almost bulged out of his skull, Haymitch noted with some amusement, gesturing at Ripper to pour him another drink.

"I don't know! I don't know!" the vampire shouted in a panic. Katniss pulled a stake out and Haymitch almost smirked at how frightened the vampire looked. He glanced around the bar, pleased to notice most of the demons looked nervous and scared. That was good. Good publicity. The demonic population of the Seam would be less inclined to try to add a Slayer to their trophy collection if they were afraid of her. The vampire meanwhile tried to struggle free. "I know the blond chick! I know the blond chick! She's been recruiting! She wants to get the town under control or something!"

"Don't they always." Haymitch sighed, exchanging a knowing look with Ripper who had always been pretty neutral when it came down to _good_ versus _evil_. It had taken him a long time to learn not all demons wanted to unleash the fires of hell on Earth. Some were half-human, some were harmless, some just wanted to survive or live normal lives…

"Where is she?" Katniss snarled.

"She… She is holing up at the old cabin in the woods! The one not too far from the lake!" the vampire spilled. "She's trying to keep a low profile until the others get here! She's just scouting! Making sure they can take over the town!"

"What others?" Haymitch frowned. _Others_ didn't sound good.

"I don't know! I don't know!" the vampire claimed when Katniss pressed the stake a little harder over his heart. "She never calls them by name! She keeps saying when they're here the town will be ours! That's all!"

"Does _she_ have a name?" Katniss hissed.

"Cashmere." the vampire said immediately. "She goes by _Cashmere_. That's all I know. Now, you're gonna let me go, right?"

"Sorry." Katniss answered and then there was nothing but another cloud of dust. She wiped her hands on her pants and picked up her bow before standing up. "Cashmere. Does that ring any bell?"

Haymitch took a minute to think but eventually had to admit defeat. "I don't know. Ripper, anything to add?"

The old woman pursed her lips in displeasure but shrugged. "Heard she wants to open the Hellmouth."

"Of course she does." he sighed, sliding off the stool and on his feet. "Put the whiskey on my tab."

"The one you never pay when you skip town?" Ripper deadpanned.

"Hey, we didn't destroy your bar, this time." he pointed out. "Cut me some slack."

He nudged Katniss toward the door but she was staring at a group of demons huddled around one of the tables. They were watching her like she was the devil incarnate. To them, she probably was. Slayers were legends in the demonic world. The monster's very own bogeyman.

"What about them?" she asked.

"Pretty much harmless." he commented, loud enough to be overheard. "As long as they don't start killing people, I say we leave them be."

"We don't want any trouble!" one of them said quickly. A woman that would have looked perfectly human if her skin hadn't been a deep green.

Katniss didn't look convinced but she shrugged. "Fine. Let's go find, Prim."

He followed her outside and waited until the door to the bar had swung shut before informing her they _weren't_ going to rush to a cabin in the woods without any sort of preparation.

"You can _bitch_ all you want. I want a solid plan first." he cut her off mid-rant. He knew she wasn't happy. He wasn't happy either. "There's plenty of daylight left. We go back home, we stock up on weapons and we stop to _think_ for _more_ than a _fucking_ minute."

"I'm not spending another hour looking at those books." she hissed.

"We go home, we grab weapons, we figure out some sort of strategy and then we go get your sister." he promised. "We play it _smart_ , kid."

As it turned out, it was asking her a lot.

By the time he stopped the bike in front of his house, he could practically feel the restlessness coming out of her in waves. She was like an animal on the hunt. She wouldn't sit down, she wouldn't drink or eat anything, she wouldn't even stop gathering the weapons she wanted to bring while he summed up what they had found for the boy who had still been slaving over the journals when they had showed up.

"Here's the plan." Katniss declared, cutting Haymitch off in the middle of his explanations. "I kick the door down and I kill as many as I can while you get Prim as far away from the literal hell hole as you can take her."

Haymitch flashed his best sarcastic smile. "And _that's_ why nobody let's you make the plans, sweetheart. That Cashmere ain't your regular vamp, you said. She'll be on you before you can say _Slayer_."

Not that she was listening to him.

"We're going to need to borrow your car." she told Peeta, shouldering on her quiver and her bow before turning to Haymitch. "Go grab as many of your bottles of liquor as you can find. It shouldn't be _that_ difficult."

Haymitch lifted his eyebrows. "Not that I don't share the sentiment but it ain't the best time to start drinking, sweetheart…"

"I don't want to drink it." she snapped. "Once you take Prim out, we're going to burn that cabin down to the ground. And the woods with it if I have to." She studied Peeta for a second. "You still want to help?"

"Yes." the boy answered immediately.

"Do you think you can handle throwing a few Molotov cocktails?" she insisted.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Haymitch protested, knocking on the table to get her attention. "We _ain't_ taking the boy with us. Innocents get _hurt_ in the crossfire. Research is fine if he wants to help but that's as far as I'm letting it go."

Her gaze almost _glided_ over him. She wasn't even _listening_. She was standing a little straighter, her chin _that_ little bit higher, her shoulders square…

Gone was the girl he had met two weeks earlier.

In her place stood a Slayer.

 _The_ Slayer.

And, _shit_ , if it didn't terrified him senseless.

She was going to _die_. They _always_ died.

And she was still wearing that _fucking_ pin on her chest…

"It's alright, Mr Abernathy." Peeta said firmly. "I _want_ to help."

"You're gonna get yourself _killed_." he snarled, standing up so brutally his chair clattered to the floor. "Humans aren't equipped to fight vampires."

" _You_ 're human." Katniss pointed out.

"I'm a _Watcher_." he countered.

"Then _watch_." she spat. "You get Prim out and then you make sure Peeta doesn't get hurt."

"I'll get your sister out, then the boy can drive her away _. I_ 'll handle the cocktails." he argued.

They glared at each other up until she averted her eyes with a scorn. "Your hands are shaking, you won't be able to aim. You're more useful protecting Prim. Peeta will be outside in the sun where no vampire can grab him. He's coming because I _need_ him. You wanted a plan, I've given you one. So are you with me or not?"

 _It wasn't a bad plan._

It wasn't a bad plan but she wasn't ready. She wasn't ready. She wasn't…

"I'm your Watcher, sweetheart." he whispered. "That ain't _ever_ gonna be a question."

Katniss nodded at him and then licked her lips. "Then we have a plan."

"Well, then…" Peeta grinned, standing up. "Avengers assemble."

Young people had a way of making him feel old but he was glad Katniss looked as puzzled as he was.

* * *

 _It seems they have a battle plan! But will it go right or wrong? Did you enjoy Ripper's bar? Do you have a theory as to Cashmere's big plan? Let me know your thoughts, I live for feedback!_


	7. E1: Katniss the vampire Slayer (7)

7.

* * *

Haymitch's fingers were restlessly drumming on the wheel and it was driving Katniss crazy.

Peeta caught her eyes and looked away fast but it was enough for her to know he shared the sentiment. They were both in the backseat of his SUV, working on cramming pieces of clothes into bottles of liquor. They didn't know how much they would need so they had opted for bringing as many as possible just to be on the safe side.

Katniss tore up strips of cloth and Peeta thrust them into the bottles. They had a good rhythm going on.

The car was rushing past the meadow when their hands accidentally brushed. Katniss didn't pay it any attention but Peeta cleared his throat.

"Everything will be fine." he promised, grabbing her hand with a bit more purpose. "We'll get Prim back."

She caught Haymitch glancing in the rear-view mirror but she didn't understand why he was smirking like that so she ignored him.

She didn't let herself think about Prim too much because she would have gone crazy with worry if she had. She had to believe the plan would work.

"You will be safe." she answered, squeezing his hand. "Just remember the plan. I distract them while Haymitch gets Prim out. The moment they're out, you start tossing."

"And then you get out." he added. "Right?"

"I get out once I'm sure the _bitch_ is dead." she corrected, taking her hand back to give him another piece of cloth.

Haymitch didn't look happy with that either but he didn't say anything. Probably because there wasn't much to say.

Cashmere needed to go down. Not only because she had gone after her sister but because they couldn't let her try to open the Hellmouth. He might not have had time to give a full lecture on it but she wasn't dense enough to not understand it was the kind of mouth that was better left _closed_.

"Katniss…" Peeta breathed out with entirely too much… She wasn't sure _what_ it was but she found she couldn't look at him anymore. Something was gripping her heart and squeezing it tight. It was confusing and she didn't have time for _confusing_ right now.

Fortunately, that was also the moment Haymitch stopped the car, saving her from the odd tension.

"That's as far as we go with the truck." he announced. "We need to finish on foot. You're sure you know where the cabin is?"

She didn't even bother offering an answer. An old cabin next to the lake deep in the woods… There weren't _many_ and she and Gale had found that one out years ago. They had used it as a hiding place once or twice even. It was a good spot when you wanted to hide from the world. There were only two empty rooms full of dust – and, apparently, vampires.

She took the lead, carrying as many bottle as she could. Haymitch and Peeta followed closely behind her and she couldn't help but cringe at how loud they were being. Haymitch, at least, was making an effort but Peeta was hopeless. Animals could hear them coming from miles away. It was a good thing they hadn't waited until nightfall to attack.

As it was, they reached the cabin without any trouble at all and they all flattened on their bellies at the edge of the clearing to study their surroundings. The cabin was entirely made of planks and was situated on the short amount of flat land between the shore of the lake and the border of the trees. A little too close to the forest for what they had in mind, maybe.

"Try not to start a forest fire." she advised.

"So… No pressure, right?" Peeta joked.

The windows of the cabin were boarded. She wondered if vampires slept during the day or if there was one of them on watch… Most of the ones she had met tended to be stupid so she hoped the ones inside would prove to be of the same variety.

She made sure her bow was ready to use and then she turned toward Haymitch. He had a hard look on his face and she wondered if he would mourn her if she died that day. She hadn't gotten the feeling he was really pleased to be her Watcher. He had treated the whole thing as a chore since the very beginning. How had he put it again?

 _I've been sent to help you until you kick the bucket and someone other than me draws the lucky ticket to coach the next dead girl to be._

"Don't look so glum, Haymitch." she taunted. "Look on the bright side. If I get myself killed you can go back to drinking full time."

"I don't drink full time." he denied and then rolled his eyes. "Well, yeah, I drink full time but I also freelance as a demon hunter when I don't have to play babysitter to arrogant little girls who think they know better than everyone else just because fate flipped them the finger."

"See?" she snorted. "You'll be happier when I'm dead."

"You _are_ a strangely dislikable person." he deadpanned and then softened a little. "But you do have your virtues. Try not to get killed so soon. It'd look bad on my resume."

"Fair enough." She smiled. "Try not to get killed either. If you're the best Watcher they've got, I'm scared of who they're going to send next."

"I'm sorry to interrupt your weird bonding moment but if _nobody_ could get killed, it would be _great_." Peeta cut in.

"You be careful, boy." Haymitch ordered sternly. "Stay out of troubles."

"Okay." Katniss took a deep breath. "Haymitch? One last advice?"

"Stay alive." he retorted without hesitation.

It was a good one, she decided.

And then she was running.

Haymitch was behind her to her left, much slower than she was. She brought the door down with a powerful kick and she didn't wait for the surprised scream inside to register. There were three vampires in that room, two of them were already smoking from the sunlight. She shot two arrows and they burst into dust, the third one moved at the last moment and she missed the heart. She threw her leg out and sent him flying just when Cato, Cashmere and another of her minions rushed out of the other room, stopping short of the long stripe of light that stretched between her part of the room and theirs.

Another well launched arrow took care of Cato but it also cost her the advantage. The vampire she had missed earlier jumped on her from the side. Her bow clattered to the ground and she fought him out, trying to pull out her stake.

"Go close the door, you idiot!" Cashmere ordered to the other minion.

Katniss wasn't sure what happened next. She thought Haymitch must have made his surprise entrance because there were fighting noises and when she risked a peek, she saw her Watcher slamming a stake through the vampire chest.

It left Cashmere between him and the other room where Prim was presumably hidden…

"Wanna dance, lady?" he taunted, falling into a fighting stance he had tried – and mostly failed – to teach her. "Ain't much into blondes but for you I'm gonna make an exception…"

 _That_ wasn't the plan at all.

Her vampire was stubbornly refusing to die - well, to die _for good_. They traded blows and she herded him toward the streak of sunlight but it was a slow process and Haymitch wasn't fairing well. He had rushed on Cashmere with a war cry and ended up hitting the wall when she swept him off with her arm like an annoying fly. He slid down to the floor and Cashmere lifted him back up by his collar. Her features morphing into her demon face, she opened her mouth...

Katniss couldn't wait anymore. She leaped away from her opponent and tackled the blond vampire. Haymitch fell back down with a _thud_.

"Get Prim and get out!" she ordered, herding the two vampires away from him.

Cashmere snarled. "I was going to kill you quickly but now I'm going to make it _last_. I really don't need a Slayer poking in my business…"

Katniss wasn't aware of much past that point. The fight took her whole focus. She took more hits than she gave and she was relying on instinct more than on training. She did glimpse Haymitch rushing back out of the cabin, her sister tossed over his shoulder, but she couldn't tell if she was alive or dead or injured or…

Cashmere's foot sent her flying across the room. She rolled in the dust and came back in a crouch. She spotted her bow a few feet away and leapt in that direction just as the second vampire tried to grab her. A lucky backward hit with her elbow hurled him directly into the narrow pool of sunlight that separated the main room of the cabin in two. He burst into flames and, at first, she thought he was responsible for the sudden explosion.

Then, of course, she realized Peeta must have began the next phase of the plan.

And it was working a little _too_ well.

Flames were catching quickly. Smoke burnt her throat and Katniss dashed toward the front door but Cashmere blocked her path, far much quicker and deadlier than anything else she had ever seen. Far more dangerous than the fire that was raining down on the cabin roof, thanks to Haymitch's liquor stash.

"You think you can stop us?" Cashmere hissed, baring her fangs. "When the others will be here, you will regret this. They will bring _Him_ back. _He_ will rise and may the odds be in your favor then!"

The flames were running up the walls now. The cabin was turning into a deadly trap.

The heat was unbearable, Katniss couldn't help small coughs. Her eyes were watery. She nocked an arrow and let it loose, not entirely surprised when Cashmere simply sidestepped it. The vampire looked _mad_ in the dancing light of the surrounding fire. The flames tossed changing shadows on her skin, her yellow eyes seemed to _glow_ …

"You will _all_ burn." the vampire laughed.

"If we burn…" Katniss retorted, the effect a little lost in the coughing fit. "You burn with us."

She needed to get out and _now_ , the ceiling was about to collapse. Cashmere was blocking her way to the door so she needed another way out. She did the only thing she could think of: she dropped her bow, took a long-run and cannonballed into the wall where the flames were the thickest, shoulder first.

If the wood was as rotten as it had looked, she would be fine.

If it was solid, she was done for.

It turned out that bursting through a wooden wall on fire was _painful..._ But she did go _through_. She landed badly but rolled with it anyway, ending up on her back in the grass, gulping down air only to cough it out.

"Katniss!" Haymitch called and, before she could try to even think about moving, he was pulling her up. All she could do was try to put one foot in front of the other while he dragged her away from the cabin that was quickly being swallowed by the flames. She heard Cashmere scream but then there was only the sounds of her own blood throbbing in her ears and her Watcher's panting.

He only slowed down once they were in the middle of the woods and only because he tripped on a root. Katniss seized the opportunity to sit down for a second even if she knew they should keep moving because forest fires could move quickly.

"Prim?" she asked once she managed to get her parched mouth to form a coherent sound.

"She's alright. I told the boy to get her to the car and to call the fire station." he explained, offering her a hand. When she simply ignored it, he waved it in front of her face until she let him haul her up again. "You sure like the old school method. _Girl on fire_."

"Don't call me that…" she grumbled and then coughed some more.

"We need to get you to the hospital." he commented and he sounded _worried_.

"I'm fine." she lied.

"Sure, you are." he humored her, forcing her good arm around his shoulders so he could support her better. With their height difference, it probably looked ridiculous. It certainly wasn't very efficient.

"I'm sorry you didn't get a better Slayer." she muttered, as they were nearing the car. Her eyelids were drooping, her chest felt very tight and she was pretty sure something was very wrong with her shoulder this time.

He tightened his hold on her. "What?"

"You were disappointed…" she mumbled. "I'm not as good as your other ones…"

"No. _Fuck_ , sweetheart… _No_." he breathed out. "You've got to understand… My Slayers… They all ended up tributes in a _fucking_ hopeless war… They were heroes. And _so are you_. And you _ain't_ dying on me right now so quit talking like you are." He was almost completely carrying her by now and she could see the rear-end of Peeta's truck. "You'll be a great Slayer, Katniss. Thing is… I'm a bitter old drunk. I wasn't sure I had it in me to play mentor one more time, that's all."

She didn't ask if he had come to a decision on that point.

Some things were better left unsaid.

"Katniss!"

She caught a glimpse of blond disheveled hair and then her sister was crashing against her and Haymitch, making them both lose their balance.

She blinked and she was lying on the ground, Prim's face hovering over her.

"Little duck…" she whispered but it didn't sound very coherent to her own ears.

She blinked again and Prim was gone. There was only the blue sky above and clouds that looked like the bird on the pin Madge had given her.

"Get her in the car. She needs a doctor and fast." Haymitch was saying.

She blinked and she was cradled against someone's chest. She was in a moving car. It was going fast. Prim's frightened face looked back at her from the passenger front seat. A hand brushed her hair away from her face.

"Hold on." Peeta's voice murmured in her ear. "Hold on. Hold on. Hold on."

She smelt the appetizing scent of bread just taken out of the oven. It was in her head, she thought, but it made her feel safe. _Happy_. Nothing bad could happen if there was hot bread nearby.

"Katniss. Stay awake." he urged. "Haymitch, go faster."

She let her head roll on his shoulder and she closed her eyes.

The last thing she saw was Prim's lips forming her name.

* * *

 _Prim is aliiiiive! That wasn't a given XD Will Katniss make it? Did you like her attempt at being heroic? Let me know your thoughts!_


	8. E1: Katniss the vampire Slayer (8)

8.

* * *

"Into each generation a Slayer is born." Haymitch mocked. "One girl in all the world. Ain't I just lucky it had to be _you_."

That girl could have won scorn competitions.

She looked small standing there on his porch, with her arm in a sling and half a dozen burns of various seriousness all over her body, but less small than she had when he had met her. She was standing taller and a few weeks of eating well had softened her malnourished aspect. His grey eyes lingered on the wounds he could see, telling himself it could have been worse.

She could have been dead.

With her Slayer healing powers, she would be completely fine in a week at most. More likely, she wouldn't feel the need for the sling in a couple of days.

 _He_ would have to contend with the few stitches on his forehead a while longer on the other hand and that was without mentioning the bruises and scrapes all over his body. He was getting too old for this _shit_.

Much too old.

He stepped aside to let her in, trying not to think about those endless minutes in the hospital waiting room where he had thought he had lost her. He had paced the length of the room while Peeta and Prim sat on uncomfortable plastic chairs, clinging to each other's hands and staring up at him as if he held all the answers in the universe, regularly asking him if he thought she would be alright.

They had been lucky, considering.

"How's your sister?" he asked, turning away to lead her inside the house.

He hadn't been expecting the hug but he embraced her back by reflex. From the stiffness of her body, he supposed her impulse had surprised herself too. Then she relaxed and he propped his chin on top of her head and closed his eyes, willing his treacherous heart to stop beating so hard.

She was here.

She was fine.

They had made it. They had won.

She let him go as quickly as she had grabbed him and headed straight to the kitchen without looking back, her dark braid swaying between her shoulder blades. Her hair was a little singed too.

"She still has nightmares." she answered belatedly. "But she's going to be alright, I think. She thinks it's awesome I can do so much good and save people."

The hug he supposed was going to remain non-addressed, which was just as well. He didn't deal well with feelings and he couldn't really keep on pretending he didn't care about her now. He wasn't sure who he had been kidding. He had always been going to care. She was a kid and she was his responsibility now and, if that wasn't enough – and it hadn't always been – he saw too much of himself in her.

"Most people do." He shrugged, following her into the kitchen and going back to sit on the chair he had been occupying before she had knocked on the door. The table was a mess of sticky glasses, Watcher journals that _really_ should have been handled with more care and half scribbled notes.

"Didn't take you long to get your collection back." she mocked, nodding at the brand new clutter of bottles on the kitchen counter.

"What can I say…" he snorted, wrapping his hand around the tepid glass he had poured himself earlier. "When I think about all the booze we wasted in those woods, it makes me sad." He hadn't been expecting her or he might have kept his consumption to a minimum though. She had been released from the hospital two days earlier and he had told her to take the rest of the week to rest. He had even told her not to bother with school unless she wanted to, that he would take care of it since her mother had never made an appearance at the hospital and _he_ had been left to answer insurance questions he had no clue about. He took a sip of whiskey and let the familiar burn wash down his throat. "I've got a deal for you. Don't interfere with my drinking and I'll stay sober enough to help you."

She watched him with an unreadable expression on her face before averting her eyes and dragging back one of the kitchen chair. "You mean help me by rushing at a vampire who could have killed you with a snap of her fingers?"

"Yeah… Maybe I shouldn't have sampled the vodka the kid used for the Molotov cocktails." he lied. And badly.

She tugged one of the leather-bound journals toward her but didn't open it. She just played with a loosed piece of leather and, really, he should have stopped her. Those things were _priceless_.

"What you said in the woods about your other Slayers…" she hesitated, her voice trailing off.

"I'm with you." he offered. "I've got your back. Until the end."

"Yours or mine?" she scoffed and then waved her hand to dismiss that. Her tone was serious, everything about her was serious. "What I mean is… You said they were _tributes in a hopeless war…_ I'm not going to be some martyr, Haymitch. I have one priority and one priority only: Prim. She's going to come before everything else and if it ever comes to a choice between her and other people…"

Again her sentence trailed off.

He studied her with a smirk, more amused than angry. He _should_ have been angry probably. Told her off. After all, the Slayer handbook was pretty clear about the sacred duties and what not.

"You know, Slayers are usually isolated." he remarked thoughtfully. "No friends, no family… They live alone and die alone."

"Why?" she frowned.

"Because it makes them easier for the Council to control." He made a face. "Slayers are only _weapons_ to them. Never forget that."

Confusion flashed on her face. "Don't _you_ work for the Council?"

"I'm on their payroll and I'm useful so they keep me around but we don't always see eye to eye." he admitted. "Just… Be careful if you ever have to deal with them without me, that's all."

"You're my Watcher." she pointed out. "Why would I have to deal with them without you?"

He sighed and slouched a little in his seat, making his whiskey twirl gently at the bottom of the glass. "Cause I've got a feeling they're playing a long game and they assigned you to me for a reason."

Katniss was growing irritated and impatient, probably frustrated to have to force every word out of his mouth. "What reason?"

"I don't know." he honestly answered. "I called Coin to see if she knew who Cashmere was or who those _others_ are… She claimed she'd put the resources of the Council on the search but I had a feeling she was hiding something."

He had hypothesis but none of them were good. _None_ of them.

"What about the man they're supposed to be bringing back?" Katniss reminded him. "Do you know who _he_ could be?"

A chill ran down his spine and he downed the rest of his glass of whiskey in one quick motion, not even trying to resist the urge to pour himself another one.

"Coriolanus Snow." The name echoed strangely in the kitchen, almost as if it was bouncing back from the past. How many times had he said or heard that name in this very kitchen? He had grown up with that name, had lived _all_ his life with that name hanging over his head like a _fucking_ Damocles sword… "He was a Master."

Understanding dawned on Katniss' face. "The one who was banished to a hell dimension. So _that_ 's why Ripper said Cashmere was talking about opening the Hellmouth."

"Sounds likely." he agreed and then rubbed is face with the back of his hand, careful not to tip the glass of whiskey that was dangling from his fingers. "We can't let _anyone_ bring that vampire back, sweetheart. He was… He was a _monster_ like you can't even imagine. A lot of good people died so we could defeat him."

The memories were seared in his mind and he couldn't stop replaying them on a loop. He had _never_ been able to stop, not even with all the alcohol in the world. And now that he was back in _this_ town...

He startled when she placed her hand on his forearm. She looked worried.

"But you _did_ defeat him." she pointed out.

 _But at what cost?_

He wasn't sure how long he had spaced out in his own head. He stood up and opened the window because the kitchen suddenly felt suffocating. Hell, who was he kidding? This whole house was suffocating. He should have just sold the thing out after Maysilee and be done but he had never been able to completely cut himself off the Seam. He wondered if it had been fate after all.

He had grown up in this house. He had watched his mother die in this house. He had watched his little brother turn to dust in this house. He had lost the only girl he had ever really loved in this house. He had trained his first Slayer in this house. He had planned Snow's demise in this house.

After Snow had been banished… After he had buried Maysilee… After he had packed everything he could carry and left for good…

He should have sold the house then but maybe a part of him had always known it wasn't over. Maybe that was why he had accepted the assignment to a new Slayer even though he and the Council had been on _very_ rocky terms since Annie's death.

Then again, he had never refused taking a Slayer on before.

He had sworn he was done being a Watcher after Maysilee. Three dead Slayers, one of them his own, and he had sworn he was done. He had disappeared for two years – or at least, he liked to think he had disappeared but he knew the Council had probably been keeping tabs even then. Two years spent hunting down demons and then, out of the blue one day, a phone call. He had resisted. For three days, he had resisted.

And then he had packed up and he had gone to San Francisco to meet Alina Graves who was seventeen and out of her depths.

And when she had died, he had cursed and sworn again that he was out.

But when they had called him with Cecelia's address, a couple of years after that, he had still gone.

At that point, he had become the go-to Watcher for Slayers who hadn't been raised and trained under the Council's tutelage. Coin said he had a gift for rogues. The Council's president refused to accept he wanted _out_ , he was too useful.

After Cecelia, there had been Johanna who had been so full of hatred and rage and who had left nothing behind her but a broken Watcher and a bike he was still keeping an almost religious care of.

And then, years after Johanna, Annie. And Annie, in many ways, had been the straw that had broken the camel back. Because Annie hadn't been able to handle the pressure and she had gone insane. Because the Council had sent Finnick and Haymitch was pretty certain, although they had never discussed it, that it had been to determine if the situation had been salvageable or not. Because they would have _killed_ her eventually if she hadn't gotten herself killed first. Coin had no use for soldiers who couldn't do their job, not when it was so easy to replace her with another one.

He had told himself he was _really_ out then. He had sent a resignation letter and everything – well, it had consisted of a stained piece of a paper with a " _fuck you"_ on it but he was pretty sure Coin had gotten the gist.

It was after Annie that the drinking had really gotten out of hand. It had always been more or less of an issue, of course, but after Annie he had stopped caring enough to try and get a lid on the problem. He had enjoyed some time of demon hunting and binge drinking with Chaff abroad for a while right up until he had received a package with a brand new cell phone, a plane ticket and an address. He had called the only number programmed into the phone and Coin had told him she had a new Slayer for him if he wanted her.

He hadn't wanted her.

He had never wanted them.

Twenty years and five dead Slayers…

And he still hadn't learned to stay away. Because, regardless of what he wanted, they needed help and it was a help he could give.

There were different sort of callings in this life. He had learned that the hard way. He had been born in that world of demons and heroic women and he could never turn his back on it, never turn his back on _a Slayer_ in need because his mother had been one and the love of his life had been one and he owned it to the five girls he had been sworn to protect and failed to save.

"Haymitch." Katniss said with the same touch of impatience as always.

He blinked and the backyard, outside the window, stopped being blurry.

He needed to stop freaking out and _focus_. This wasn't about him or the people Snow had taken from him.

"It was luck we managed to trap him at all." he finally explained, facing her again. "Maysilee was fighting him, distracting him while the warlock worked on the ritual… She died too soon. He ripped her throat out. He turned on us so I jumped in."

She lifted her eyebrows. "You _fought_ a Master?"

She sounded incredulous and he couldn't blame her. He hadn't exactly been useful against Cashmere. But he had been different twenty years ago. He had been young and cocky and so sure he could handle himself against _anything_ … And, of course, he had been consumed with his hatred for Snow. He had known he might get killed when he had stood in the vampire's path but he had also known he might distract him long enough for the ritual to work. He hadn't feared death, then. He would have welcomed it.

"We had a history, Snow and I." he snorted. And then he shook his head because he could see the questions already forming on her lips. "Story for another day, yeah? Suffice to say… We don't want him free."

She looked at him long and hard and then she accepted that with a nod.

She was still distractedly toying with the journal. "Do I get a bonus for killing a crazy old vampire?"

"Need money?" he asked, already trying to remember how much cash he had in his wallet. Not much, he thought, but they could make a trip to an ATM. Katniss only ever spent the money on food or on utilities. He had never seen a kid who had her priorities so straight – well, except himself.

"I lost my bow in the fire." There was a pout at the corner of her mouth that made her look like a very sulky child.

"I'll buy you a new one." he dismissed.

He had expected her to protest and scream about how she didn't need charity but she must have considered it part of his Watcher's duties to make sure she was armed because she perked up instead. "I'm also going to need a new quiver. And arrows."

"You don't want a pony with that?" he deadpanned.

"No." she replied with a small smile. "But a spare helmet for the bike would be great."

He rolled his eyes but aggressively fought his own smile. It wouldn't do to let her know he had grown fond of her.

°O°O°O°O°O°

"So, we don't know who the vampires who are coming are but we _do_ know we really don't want them to free Snow." Peeta summed up. His folded arms were propped on the small counter that separated the kitchen from the living-room. He looked completely at ease in the trailer despite the lack of space and how terribly cheap everything in it was when Katniss knew for certain he lived in a big house not too far from his parents' bakery.

She kept her eyes averted and focused on transferring the cupcakes he had brought from the pastry box onto a plate.

She wasn't sure why he was even there at all. She never invited anyone home. The only person who had been coming and going to and from that trailer aside for the Everdeens was Gale and it was only because the Hawthornes lived in a similar trailer. As a rule, Katniss never let anyone in and it hadn't been her idea to invite Peeta.

He had showed up half an hour earlier with a big smile, a box full of cupcakes and a bunch of DVDs. She had remained there dumbfounded but Prim had squealed and had ushered him in. Apparently, while she had been at the hospital, they had made plans to have some sort of _Harry Potter_ marathon – she had been informed _very_ seriously that the fact that the Everdeen girls hadn't read or seen a _Harry Potter_ was unforgivable. Prim had looked happy about it so she hadn't outwardly opposed the project. Besides, now he was there and he had brought food so it wasn't like she could really kick him out.

Because she had no clue what else to talk about with him – and because it was the first thing he had asked once Prim had started tinkering with their old TV so they could watch the movies – she had summed up what he had missed.

And now she made sure to keep staring at the plate full of pretty cupcakes he had baked himself and to not look up at him. She also made sure to keep her voice low so her sister wouldn't hear. "There's no _we_. It's not your problem."

Peeta's good mood seemed to deflate like a pierced balloon. Suddenly he looked a lot more ill-at-ease. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have showed up like that. It's just Prim said it would be cool and… Do you want me to go?"

"No." She frowned. "I just meant…" She glanced at her sister who was still busy and then chanced a look at him. "You don't have to get involved in the Slaying business. It's _dangerous_ and it's _not_ your responsibility so…"

"What if I _want_ to get involved?" he cut her off.

She sighed, not sure how to answer that. Haymitch hadn't told her how to handle that particular situation. Peeta's knowledge of the real state of the world was something they had left up in the air. "Peeta…"

"Look, I don't think I can go back to how it was before." he interrupted again. "I can't just pretend I don't know all of that is happening, that _you_ 're out there fighting vampires and demons _on your own_. You _shouldn't_ have to be on your own. So if I can help… Doing research or… I'm not helpless, you know. I can fight. And we're… _friends_ , right?"

That seemed like a trick question somehow.

But Peeta had followed her into danger to get her sister back. He had stayed with Prim at the hospital while Haymitch took care of the paperwork. He had taken care of her sister when she couldn't and that… Well…

"Yeah." she confirmed slowly, maybe a little carefully. "Yeah, we're friends."

Peeta shrugged, a smile back on his lips. "It's settled then. Every superhero needs a sidekick."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not a superhero."

The way he watched her then… She couldn't have put a word on it if she had tried. There was an intensity in his eyes, a tenderness too and… Her heart started racing in her chest.

"You are to me." he argued in a whisper.

She wasn't sure at which point they had gotten so close to each other. Sure, she had been leaning toward him because she didn't want Prim to overhear even if she had been speaking low but… They were standing so close that she could see there were specks of green in his blue eyes.

 _Green was her favorite color._

She didn't know where the thought had come from but it jolted her out of the strange spell that had fallen on the room. She grabbed the plate full of cupcakes and headed to the living-room, hoping it didn't look like she was running.

It _felt_ like she was running. She simply wasn't sure from _what_.

But whatever it was… It scared her more than all the vampires in the world.

And given that a bunch of them were trying to bring back a monster bad enough to scare _Haymitch_ , it must have said something…

* * *

 _So that's the end of episode one! I hope you enjoyed it! Episode two will start in two weeks! Don't miss it!_


	9. E2: The Art Of Stealing Hearts (1)

_Here we come with episode 2! I hope you will enjoy it!_

* * *

 **The Art of Stealing Hearts**

* * *

 **1.**

* * *

Haymitch hated teaching.

It wasn't the first time the Council forged degrees and recommendations for him to be hired at a school as a History teacher and, mostly, he could do the job alright. History went surprisingly hand in hand with the study of demonology and it wasn't like the standards at Seam High were really demanding to begin with. But, _oh_ , how he hated having to deal with hormonal teenagers all day long… Sure, it allowed him to keep an eye on Katniss and to be close at hands if his Slayer needed him. But it was also _a pain_.

The thing he _really_ hated about teaching though? Even more than the teenagers and the endless drama? The _paperwork_ that schools required from time to time.

He liked Plutarch Heavensbee well enough. He was a nice guy if a little smug for someone who had ended up at the head of a school with the highest rate of suspicious disappearances in the country… He didn't like, however, how obsessed the man was with written reports, forms and memos. Everything that happened in his teachers' classrooms, Plutarch had to know about. You wanted to send a kid to detention? You had to fill two forms detailing the incident that had led to the punishment as well as the reasons you felt it necessary to assign detention. It was _such_ a pain that most of the teachers had renounced giving out detentions at all.

Except, Marvel Quaid had gone and tossed a water balloon at Glimmer Rambin in the middle of third period the other day – because she had been wearing a ridiculously short white dress and boys that age were _obsessed_ with girls and, to add insult to injury, the water balloon in question had turned out to be a _condom_ – and he had had no other choice _but_ to give out detention. And a lecture.

 _Fuck_ , but he _hated_ his job.

Plutarch had been on his case about him not having filled the proper paperwork for days at this point and it was starting to become more irritating to have to listen to the Principal's gentle chiding than it would have been to fill the form.

So he had filled the form.

He grumbled under his breath about stupid boys full of hormones and zero brain cells all the way to the Principal's office and glared at all the kids who dared stumble into his path. More than one shouted a greeting. For whatever reason, through no fault of his own, most of his students seemed to like him. Maybe because he had a policy that he didn't really care what they were up to in his classroom as long as they didn't bother him – it didn't matter at all to him if they were listening to him rattling out random dates and facts, most days he selected a documentary on the computer and let the machine do the job for him.

The secretary's office – the antechamber to _Plutarch's_ office because the man liked to pretend he was a Secretary of State and not a school Principal – was just as busy as usual and the new assistant – a fancy title that was probably more fashionable than plain old _secretary_ – didn't seem to know what to prioritize.

Haymitch settled for leaning against the wall next to the Biology teacher and wait his turn. He answered Felindra Tigris's greeting with a smile and a polite nod. She was pretty in an odd sort of way, with red hair that made him think of a lion's mane and eyes you couldn't help but stare back at. She was a flirt too and Haymitch tended to flirt back simply because it had been _a long time_ since he had gotten laid and he was starting to feel the urge to scratch that particular itch.

They exchanged recent stories about students while they waited for the secretary to finish tearing whoever she was talking to on the phone to shreds. Haymitch had forgotten her name. She had only been there for a little over a week, the previous _assistant_ had become vampire snacks and she had just been replaced. There was a lot of turnover on the staff front. But, then again, it was the Seam. Teachers had already had a limited lifespan when _he_ had been in school. The proximity of the Hellmouth wasn't helping.

Whatever her name was, she was attractive. She had curves but he had never minded that and he was certainly enjoying the low cut shirt she was wearing. The silver flowers tattooed on her left cheek were a little shocking at first but he had seen worse fashion statements in his time.

 _Hell_ , there had been that time in his youth when _mullets_ had been in fashion and he had fancied himself a rebel…

"Is Plutarch in?" he asked hopefully the moment she placed the phone back on its cradle. "I've got those detention forms for him…"

"Principal Heavensbee is with the new Art teacher. Leave them with me." the woman sighed, her lips pursed. She almost _glared_ at the slightly crumpled sheets of paper he placed on the corner of her desk. "I have never seen so much paperwork _anywhere_ else I worked at. I will end up _buried_ under papers."

"Send an sos and I'll come rescue you." he half-joked, half-offered. Yeah, he really was feeling that itch. "Sorry, I forgot your name."

"Fulvia." she answered with a bright smile. "Fulvia Cardew…" She glanced at the paper. "Mr Abernathy."

"Haymitch." He grinned.

"And what do you teach, Haymitch?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. Given that she was sitting at her desk and he was standing up, it gave him a very nice view down her…

"History." Felindra cut in, sounding both amused and a little vexed. Next thing he knew, the Biology teacher was standing right next to him and was running her hand down his arm. He lost all interest in Fulvia because, really, when push came to shove, Felindra Tigris just had _that_ little something that made him… "If you are finished, Haymitch… I hate to chase you but I _do_ have some request forms to fill for more lab rats and you know Plutarch always wants those in triplicate…"

" _Triplicate_!" Fulvia gasped.

Haymitch wisely decided to retreat before he could be swept into the paperwork of hell. He buried his hands in his pockets as he briskly walked back to his classroom, his mind busy contemplating the prospects of taking some remedial Biology lessons… There was a new spring to his steps and he was whistling a little, he nodded back to the students who greeted him, feeling in a much better mood than ten minutes earlier. Being free of paperwork was good.

"Are you drunk?" Katniss mocked with a lifted eyebrow when they crossed paths as she was headed to her Math class. Old Woof was impatiently waving the latecomers into his classroom, snatching baseball caps off heads as they went, and Haymitch was suddenly very happy to have a period off. Another hour he didn't have to deal with idiots was a good hour.

"If only." he snorted, shoving her toward the classroom. She tossed him a glare but he knew he hadn't hurt her, for one: superstrength; for another: nobody could have guessed she had half-burned to death a mere two weeks earlier. "Go get an education."

He had work of his own to do.

He left the door of his classroom open behind him simply because it would spare him the effort of having to stand up and open it for his next class, and settled behind his desk. Then he pulled out the now crumpled sketch of Cashmere's face they didn't need anymore – because when a woman tried to kill you, you tended _not_ to forget her face so easily – and a couple of Watcher journals. There were thousands of them and so far he hadn't been very lucky. He hadn't found a mention of Cashmere or who the 'others' who were supposed to follow her into town could be and he hadn't, either, figured out how they were planning on freeing the worst vampire Haymitch had ever had the displeasure to meet from his hell prison.

He skimmed through the life of a Slayer who had lived in the beginning of the sixties, growing a little frustrated by the long and not so fruitful search. He had been on it for two weeks already and he was starting to wonder if focusing on the Slayers from the last century was a good idea after all. It had seemed like a logical choice. If she had been older than one hundred years old, chances were he would have heard of Cashmere before… Vampires who lived that long tended to get famous for slaughter or attempts at triggering an apocalypse or two. There were exceptions though of course…

He was contemplating fishing his flask out of his desk for a small gulp when there was a quick joyful knock on the doorframe of his classroom. And _then_ he remembered why he liked to keep his door shut.

He looked up and winced not too welcomingly at Plutarch. But then his eyes glided behind the principal and to _her_ and the gibe he had been about to blurt out remained stuck in his throat. The woman was beautiful in a way nobody had any business being beautiful.

She was tall – although that might have to do with the towering heels she was perched on – she was wearing a dove grey high-waist pencil skirt that only showed off the shape and length of her legs, her white blouse had some pink frills that might have looked more ridiculous if she hadn't possessed a regal bearing… His eyes lingered on the legs and stopped on her breasts – not much there but just enough to be appealing – traveled up her slender neck and to her face where an amused smile stretched her red-painted lips. Confidence was written on every of her slightly aristocratic features and he decided she was one of those women who _knew_ the effect they had on other people and had no qualm playing with it. Her blond hair looked curly but it was tamed in a professional if a little fancy bun and her eyes, when he finally met them, were so _very_ blue he faltered for a second.

She was beautiful, there was no other term for it. So beautiful, she chased any idea of _Remedial Biology_ right out of his head.

What had Fulvia said? That Plutarch was with a new teacher? He couldn't remember what the stranger was supposed to teach but he was pretty sure he was going to develop a sudden interest for the subject.

"Morning, Haymitch." Plutarch greeted with his usual exuberance. A positive attitude was apparently important when you were trying to run a school. "I'm sorry to disturb you but I was wondering about those forms…"

"Just dropped them off on your secretary's desk." he grumbled, not even fighting the urge to roll his eyes.

" _Assistant_." he corrected, stepping into the classroom, the woman right behind him. "Very good. Very good. Oh, where are my manners!" He gestured at the woman who stepped forward with a bright smile that made his stomach _clench_. "Meet Miss Trinket, our new Art teacher. I was just giving her the tour. Effie, this is Haymitch Abernathy, our History teacher."

"Nice to meet you." she politely offered. He shook the hand she outstretched but didn't release it at once. There was something about the way she talked, the rhythm… She wasn't from around there, that was for sure. Her amusement seemed to increase for some reason. "May I have my hand back?"

He let go of her hand without hurrying, tilting his head to the side to study her better. "British?"

Hastily concealed surprise flashed on her face. She looked a little put out. "Most people are not able to tell."

And, suddenly, he lost _all_ interest. Suspicion was rising its ugly head and her looks weren't enough to make him ignore it. Coincidences _were_ possible, of course. But a British woman getting hired at a school in the backend of the country when the Council was so reluctant to take his calls lately? Not likely.

Besides, she looked like a poster child for a Watcher. Wealthy, full of herself and entitled. He was ready to bet she came from a _long_ line of Watchers too, that was kind of a family business after all, handed down from fathers to sons – or in some cases, although it _was_ rare, daughters. He was the exception to the rule, brought into the job by fate, life and the woman who had raised him to become one.

"Really?" he snorted. "With that posh accent, seems obvious to me."

She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips, any trace of amusement gone. "Perhaps my accent is posh but _you_ are lacking in the manners department."

"So sorry, your highness…" he mocked. "You want me to bow?"

"Miss Trinket comes straight from London, Haymitch." Plutarch cut in with a diplomatic tone but a chiding look for him. "Her references are _impressive_. We were _lucky_ to find her."

"I'm sure…" he sneered. "And what brings such a catch to our little town? Let me guess… You've got a taste for the wildlife… We _do_ have a nice collection of _strange animals_ in the Seam."

She didn't so much as blink, her face remained neutral. At least, she had a good poker face. That, or he was entirely wrong and she wasn't _at all_ there to spy on him.

But they had sent Finnick last time and he knew Coin only trusted him as far as she could toss him. A part of him had been waiting for the Council to make a move ever since he had called in to report _suspicious activities_ around the Hellmouth.

"My family lives in the States and I have been away from them too long." she replied. If it was a lie, he couldn't detect it.

"And _where_ do they live exactly?" he insisted.

"Los Angeles." she answered with obvious reluctance. Probably because she had no business settling down in a town in rural Virginia if her parents were on the opposite coast. And she knew she was caught.

He smirked in triumph. "Either you're not very good at geography or you got lost."

"I happen to like the country." she huffed with a small glare before turning to the Principal with a miffed expression on her face. "I _do_ apologize, Principal Heavensbee, I thought _you_ were the one conducting job interviews in this school. It was also my understanding that I was _already_ hired."

Plutarch laughed a fake laugh as if her joke was hilarious.

It _wasn't_.

"Isn't she _charming_?" he asked Haymitch in a warning tone. "I am sure you two will be _the best_ of friends in no time at all. You have so much in common. Haymitch is a new addition to our school too…"

"The rate you're losing your staff, I'm one of the oldest by now." Haymitch commented, still studying her in a way that was neither polite nor as disinterested as he wanted it to be.

"And he did a lot of traveling, not unlike you. Didn't you, Haymitch?" Plutarch insisted, ignoring his intervention. "Effie was just telling me she has been pretty much everywhere around the globe. Haymitch was quite the globetrotter himself before he settled down here."

" _Were_ you, now?" the woman hummed with utter lack of interest. Then, her gaze fell on Cashmere's portrait and Haymitch quickly thrust it between the pages of his book and snapped that shut. Her eyes lingered on the leather bound journal. "You should be careful with those old books. They look precious."

"Don't you worry about these books." He scowled. "They're in the right hands."

She lifted her eyebrows. "I _doubt_ books that look _that_ ancient have _any_ business laying _unattended_ in a _high school_ classroom. They should be in a library handled with _care._ And special gloves. But I am sure you know better than I do, of course."

She wasn't wrong there but he certainly _wasn't_ going to admit it. If his mother's Watcher could see what he was doing with those journals, she would have his hide.

"You're a book expert on top of being an Art teacher?" he challenged. Was she even _trying_ to keep her cover?

"You will find I am an expert in _many_ things, Mr Abernathy." she retorted with a grin that, while being perfectly innocent, somehow managed to convey that the meaning behind her words was _not_.

He felt himself smirk. Not entirely on purpose. And he didn't avert his eyes because he wouldn't look away _first_. If she wanted to make this difficult, he would be happy to oblige.

Plutarch muffled a cough into his fist.

She let her gaze linger a second longer before turning toward the Principal, just long enough to let him know he hadn't won anything but that the match had to be postponed for now. "Perhaps we could continue our tour? I am _fairly_ sure I do not need to be so well acquainted with Mr Abernathy's classroom."

"Of course, of course." Plutarch approved, gesturing at her to precede him outside. He stopped halfway to the door though and turned back to Haymitch, prompting the woman to do the same. "While I've got you here and before I forget… Gale Hawthorne has been camping in my office again… Is there _absolutely_ no way you could convince Miss Everdeen to get back on the archery team?"

Haymitch really didn't want to discuss his Slayer in front of a potential Council spy.

"I've told you before, she's focusing on other things right now." he dismissed.

"Her family situation _isn't_ ideal, of course." Plutarch sighed. "I suppose as long as she stays out of trouble… It is just… Gale claims she is working for you after school?"

He frowned. "So what?"

He was acutely aware that Trinket was studying her manicure while pretending not to listen in the very attitude of someone who was obviously eavesdropping.

"Well, he made it sound… He seems to be worried you are… Somehow… _Abusing_ your position." Plutarch awkwardly winced. "I set him straight, of course. But maybe…"

"I ain't gonna kick the girl out just 'cause a kid can't handle rejection." he warned before the man could even finish that thought. "I ain't just her teacher or some stranger to her, I'm a _family friend_. I came back here to take care of her, I _explained_ that to you. And even if that wasn't a thing.. She's just _a kid_. You _really_ think I would…"

"No. I do _not_." Plutarch cut him off firmly. "Like I said, I set him straight. I know you have been helping them out and, to be honest, it's good to see Katniss not looking like she just escaped some prison camp… She's obviously fed, she hasn't been arrested yet and she has even made friends lately. On my end, there is no problem, I am happy to see it work out so well. But rumors are pesky things and…"

"I don't care much for rumors." he spat.

"Even so." the man sighed. "Perhaps, you could encourage her to have a chat with her friend? Clear the air." He glanced at Trinket and made a face. "I apologize, this was a matter we should have discussed in my office. I would not want you to get ideas, Effie. Katniss is a young troubled girl Haymitch has taken under his wing. There is absolutely _nothing_ untoward going on but you know teenagers…"

"My kid _ain't_ troubled." he growled while the woman was making polite _no-no_ noises.

"I do not care much for that label either." she remarked. "I am sure she is a _lovely_ young lady."

He almost chuckled at the look Katniss would have if anyone ever called her a lady to her face.

"She's a good kid." he answered, in a softer tone. And she would be a great Slayer given the chance. She had the drive to survive. But that would be easier if the Watcher Council didn't meddle.

Trinket smiled at him. "I cannot wait to meet her."

He spent a long time after Plutarch had ushered her away wondering if that had been genuine or if it had been a threat.

* * *

 _Sooooo Effie arrived! What did you think? Let me know your thoughts!_


	10. E2: The Art Of Stealing Hearts (2)

2.

* * *

Peeta traced furrows in his mashed potatoes with his fork, wondering if there was a law somewhere that said school food had to taste _disgusting._ If Katniss noticed anything was off with the meal, she didn't let on. She was sitting in front of him and she was eating with good appetite, checking her English Lit notes with obvious boredom. She had a test planned for after lunch, or something.

"How's your mom doing?" he asked.

He didn't really want to spend the whole lunch hour sitting in silence. That was why he had sought her out in the first place even though having lunch together was still a relatively new thing. He hadn't really given her a choice in the matter once she had started eating in the cafeteria with everyone else instead of hiding away until classes started again, he had asked if she minded and had sat down and that had been the arrangement for close to a week now.

She didn't seem to mind his company but the thing with Katniss Everdeen was that it was always hard to say what she really thought. Ever since the night he had found out who she really was, he felt he had made progresses at befriending her. He was allowed to drop by her house to watch movies with her and her sister and he had also been allowed to accompany her and Haymitch on patrol twice – not that either of them had been happy about it and not that he had really left them a choice about it when he had showed up at the cemetery in the middle of the night.

"A bit better." Katniss answered after a second too long.

She put away her notes and focused back on her lunch, her grey eyes darting up from time to time to sweep around the cafeteria as if looking for a threat. It was loud in there and Peeta regretted not suggesting they took their lunch elsewhere. He wasn't really in the mood to be surrounded by people. Of course, Katniss had _never_ been like most people – not that she was aware of it.

"I'm still angry about… you know." she volunteered before he could try to probe some more. That was also a good sign that they were becoming real friends, he supposed, the fact that she actually told him things without him having to pull it out of her mouth now. He decided _you know_ meant her mother inviting a vampire inside their trailer, which had resulted in Prim getting kidnapped, so he simply nodded and let her continue. "The doc Haymitch found is okay. He changed her meds. She's been up a little more but…" She shrugged. "The doc says the best thing would be for her to go to a clinic for a while."

"Too expensive?" he hesitated. He knew she was sensitive about money matters, all the more so with him who didn't have much troubles on that front. His father's bakery was a really successful business and he didn't lack for anything.

At least, on the money front.

But he dug his fork in the mash and brought it to his mouth before he could linger on that kind of thoughts. They were better left unexplored. Particularly today when he was trying to forget his ribs hurt.

"There's that." she sighed. "And there's the problem of where we'd go while she's getting fixed."

"Haymitch would take you in…" he pointed out.

She pursed her lips and tilted her head a little as she checked the room again. The fingers of her free hand were drumming impatiently on the edge of the table.

"I don't know." she replied, a little harshly. "He's already paying for groceries and the doctor…"

He frowned and lowered his voice. "He's your Watcher."

"He's my Watcher, not my dad." she snapped. "And I can take care of Prim and myself. I don't need anyone's help."

He lifted both hands defensively but he couldn't help the tinge of jealousy in his voice. "Sure, sorry. Though if someone wanted to take care of me like that, I'd just say thanks and be happy about it."

She frowned – in an angry way more than in a puzzled way – and he was pretty sure they would have ended up fighting if her gaze hadn't suddenly darted to his right. The frown turned into a small scowl and she stood up without a word of explanation. He watched her cross half the room right up until she reached Gale Hawthorne who had just arrived.

The discussion seemed animated but he couldn't hear anything from where he was sitting. Gale seemed to calm down eventually, even though Katniss was still gesturing wildly as she ranted.

"Do you mind if I sit with you?"

He looked up and smiled at Madge who was standing uncertainly next to the table and gestured at her to take a seat. They made small talk for a while. She was easy to talk to, if a little shy, and not for the first time since he had gotten his first glimpse of Katniss all that time ago in kindergarten, he wondered why he couldn't simply like a girl who was less… _difficult_ than Katniss was. There were girls who at least _noticed_ him instead of merely _tolerating_ his presence.

But, of course, he wasn't Gale Hawthorne and Gale Hawthorne was the only boy Katniss had ever willingly given the time of day to.

When Katniss came back, she was still scowling but she also looked more hurt and sad than angry, so it was hard to remain jealous.

"What's wrong with Gale?" Madge asked after they exchanged a hello, saving him the trouble of asking that particular question. It would probably have sounded less innocent coming from him.

"He's being _stupid_." Katniss scowled. "He went to Heavensbee and told him he thought Haymitch was being _inappropriate_. Haymitch told me at training two days ago and he _really_ wasn't happyabout it." She shot him a mild glare. "See, it's _complicated_. We can't just move in like that."

"What kind of training are you doing? I thought you quitted the team?" Madge inquired. "And who's Haymitch?"

"She's been training with Mr Abernathy." Peeta answered quickly before Katniss could invent a lie that wouldn't be believable at all. She wasn't great at lying. "Like a teacher assistant."

"Oh…" the girl said like it made all the sense in the world. "I didn't know you were so good at History. And you said Gale went to the principal about it?"

"He went to the principal and said he was _concerned_ because of _all the time_ I spend with _a male teacher_ who I might not feel _comfortable_ saying no to." she spat. The quotation marks were almost audible.

Peeta couldn't help but laugh, his general bad mood of the day forgotten. "Has he _met_ you?"

Even Madge chuckled. "I can't imagine you being uncomfortable saying no to anyone."

Katniss relaxed a little and her mouth twitched into something that wasn't quite a smile but she didn't look any happier. "I just don't want Haymitch to get in trouble. He said Heavensbee didn't believe Gale but…"

She let her voice trail off.

"Hey." Peeta said softly, reaching out to squeeze her hand. He didn't let the contact linger because he knew she wouldn't like it. "It's going to be fine. He's just being a jerk because you don't spend much time with him anymore."

Katniss rolled her eyes. " _That_ was mentioned too. Seriously, what does he care if we have movie marathons? I told him he could come next time if he wanted and he said it wasn't the point… Then, what's the point?"

He and Madge exchanged a look and it was good to know Madge shared his own opinion about Gale's interest in Katniss not being of the _friendly_ variety.

"You guys have been having movie marathons?" Madge asked, to change the topic.

" _Peeta and my sister_ have movie marathons." Katniss grumbled. "I just show up for the cupcakes."

"We're trying to educate Katniss." he joked. "She hasn't seen anything worth watching. You should come next time." He smiled at Madge who smiled back and suddenly, for no good reason that he could think of, Katniss was scowling again. Maybe it was because he had essentially invited her to the Everdeen's house, he had noticed Katniss had been even more defensive than usual the first few times he had gone to her trailer, as if waiting for him to make a comment. "We could go to my house this time…"

He offered with reluctance and already knowing he would try to take it back through any way possible.

Katniss had reasons she didn't want people over.

He had his own.

"Or you could come to mine, maybe?" Madge suggested. "We have this big screen… Besides, it's mostly me. Dad works late and Mom spends most of her time in her room." She shrugged a little awkwardly. "You could bring your sister. And Gale if he wants to come. I wouldn't mind…"

"That sounds good." Peeta immediately answered. He could almost _feel_ Madge's loneliness, he knew the kind and he didn't want her to feel rejected.

Katniss' grey eyes were traveling from her to him, back and forth. Her voice was a little guarded when she finally nodded. "Yeah. Okay."

"Cool." Madge grinned and it was a lovely grin, he couldn't help but notice.

He found himself smiling back.

He couldn't believe he hadn't noticed before how pretty she was. He usually had eyes only for Katniss though and, of course, Katniss was beautiful but in a different way… They looked good next to each other… Dark and fair. Dangerous and sweet…

The two girls gathering their stuff and standing up put a stop to his daydreaming.

He was confused by the suddenness of the move. "What…"

Katniss was watching him as if he had grown a second head. "Don't you have Art or something?"

"But there's still half an hour left." he objected. He was sure because he had checked his watch when Madge had sat down.

"The bell just rang." she scoffed. "You've been sitting here smiling like an idiot for ages. What were you thinking about?"

He could feel his face turn crimson.

He was pretty certain she didn't want to know what he had been thinking about. He shouldn't have been thinking about the kind of things he had been thinking about. Not when he respected Katniss and Madge so much. Not when he was usually doing his best not to swoop to the levels of most of his friends. The kind of talk he heard in the locker rooms after wrestling practice…

He scrambled up and grabbed his bag, suddenly desperate to get out of there before either girl could notice the embarrassing problem he was having. He hurried out of the room, mumbling excuses over his shoulder and almost knocked Miss Tigris off her feet.

He ran all the way to the closest bathroom and berated himself all the while. _This_ wasn't him. He was growing mad. Maybe it was finally the knowledge that the occult was a real thing catching up to him. Maybe it had pushed him over the edge. Maybe…

Or maybe he was just more of a typical teenager boy than he wanted to admit.

Either way he felt guilty about having thought about Katniss and Madge that way – all the more so because he really wasn't interested in Madge – and he had to run all the way to the Art classroom to make it on time. His ribs were aching something fierce and practice would be torture that afternoon.

He ducked inside the room just as Miss Trinket was about to close the door and he flashed her a sheepish smile. "Sorry."

" _Do_ try to be on time." she chided gently. "Punctuality is _everything."_ She clapped her hands to get the general attention, a bright smile on her lips. "Now, now. Let's continue what we started the other day, shall we? Pick up your canvas and go to work, children!"

Peeta and the others did as they were told, picking up the canvas they had been working on and setting them back on the easels. Peeta had more or less claimed one for himself at the back of the class because it was in a corner. He didn't like people peeking over his shoulder when he drew.

His mother never grew tired of telling him this was a waste of time and she probably was right but drawing had always been his favorite form of escape ever since he had been in age of holding a pencil. One of his earliest memory was decorating cakes with his father. Even today, he was often in charge of the frostings when he helped out at the bakery.

"Now, remember the assignment…" Miss Trinket hummed. "Paint something that scares you. Dominate and sublimate it."

She smiled at him when she walked past, just like she was smiling at everyone else. There was something a little _hyper_ about her, as if her skin was a little too tight for her, as if she was made for much _bigger_ things than teaching Art in a high school with no good Art program. Looking at her, it wasn't difficult to guess why. She looked like she could have been a model or something… She had been there for less than a week and already half the boys in school were in love with her and the other half plain and simply were fantasizing about her.

Peeta liked her well enough. Their last Art teacher – the one who had been found with suspicious puncture marks in his neck – had showed them power point after power point without giving them many opportunities to practice. He hadn't wanted them to dirty the classroom. Miss Trinket didn't mind what they did with paint as long as they cleaned it afterwards – and as Marvel had discovered after having tried to toss some pain at him the other day, she _would_ make them clean it.

She didn't have to work hard to enforce discipline. Unlike some other teachers, she didn't have to shout or get angry. A pout and a disappointed look was all it took.

In some aspects, she reminded him of Haymitch.

He painted a little mechanically. He had done most of the groundwork during the previous class and now it was more of a matter of adjusting the colors and finding the right balance. His mind wasn't really on it though. He was thinking about Gale and what would happen if Katniss told him the truth.

Haymitch had forbidden it, of course. It was against the rules – which made sense because he couldn't even imagine the mass hysteria if people learned vampires were real – and the Watcher already wasn't happy about _him_ being in the known. Peeta had tried to tell him he wasn't some helpless burden they would have to shift around, that he could hold his own and _help…_ The two patrols he had crashed had been the extent of his involvement in the supernatural so far and neither Katniss nor Haymitch had let him try to have a go against a vampire even though he had brought a stake.

They kept saying it was for his own protection but he didn't think they were being fair. He was captain of the wrestling team for a reason. He was strong, he was smart and he knew his limits. He just wanted to _help_.

But if Katniss told Gale… If Katniss told Gale, he was pretty sure that she wouldn't hesitate so much about bringing him on patrol as back-up. They would just jump around shooting arrows at all the bad guys and he would be left cheering from the sideline up until she forgot he even existed and it would go back to how it had been before with him trying desperately to get her to notice him and her…

Marvel knocked him from behind on his way back from fetching some clean water. His brush glided across the canvas, smearing a long trace of dark paint over the rough sketch.

"Oops, sorry." Marvel chuckled. Peeta glared at him but it only seemed to amuse him more. "What's the matter, lover boy? Not even going to stand up for yourself? That girlfriend of yours really made you a wimp, didn't she?"

"What's your problem?" he retorted.

But he knew what Marvel's problem was. It was the same problem Glimmer had. The same problem all his friends had. Cato and Clove were _gone_ , officially missing but in a town like the Seam missing often meant dead, and _he_ had completely deserted their little group for Katniss.

Had she even noticed his friends were giving him a hard time? He didn't think so.

"Hang out with losers, get treated like a loser." Marvel hissed, stepping right in his space.

Peeta clenched his jaw but he refused to take the bait. It would have been easy to hurt Marvel – well, maybe not _easy_ because he had a footballer body but Peeta knew where to hit to cause pain. Violence should _never_ be an answer – at least when the person in front of you wasn't a vampire, a demon or actively trying to kill you – that was something he had learned the hard way. He didn't want to be _that_ guy. He didn't _ever_ want to be the person who thought with his fists or use them as an outlet for his frustration.

"Go back to your easel, if you please, Marvel. You and I will have a talk after class." Miss Trinket ordered, appearing at this side as if summoned by magic. She inspected his canvas and winced in sympathy. "Perhaps some white paint…"

"It's fine." he told her. "I'll work around it."

 _Something that scared him_.

There was something really cathartic about splashing black paint all over the canvas. Everywhere around him, the other kids were painting monsters, spiders and weird shaped aliens… He found his _zone_ and he started working without even really knowing what he was doing. His ribs were smarting from the bread trail that had slammed into them that morning, still hot from the oven, and the anger was bubbling under the surface.

He didn't even hear the bell ringing.

He barely heard the lecture Miss Trinket gave Marvel once the other students were gone. He kept on painting, half aware he would be late for practice and that would mean getting a lecture of his own. He didn't care much about wrestling, he had gone into it because all his brothers had before him. His thing was painting but his mother thought it was a waste of time when she didn't outright tell him he was a waste of space…

"This is really good… Much better than your original project. Perhaps I should not have scolded Marvel that much…" Miss Trinket commented softly, in a teasing tone. She was right next to him again but this time he had heard the clicking of her heels coming closer so he didn't really startle. "Is it done?"

He surveyed the piece and dropped the brush in the glass of water. He wouldn't be able to do anything more until the paint had dried anyway. But… It looked alright like this.

"I think so." he answered after a moment.

The whole canvas was black and white curves swirled around the surface. They didn't look like much if you didn't focus but if you did they made out crude profiles. He wasn't sure anyone else would be able to see them or even recognize the people on it. It was abstract, more than what he usually did.

"Who is the woman?" Miss Trinket asked thoughtfully – and a little carefully to his ears. "Her face is everywhere."

He had been focusing on Katniss' vague profile but her remark made him take a step back and he realized, his guts clenching, there was indeed one profile that came out a lot more often than others. Maybe because his ribs had been hurting or maybe because his father had pressed a few bills in his hands that morning and told him to buy himself something nice in that same apologetic tone Peeta hated or maybe because he felt so damn _weird_ today…

He had painted his mother's profile. Again and again.

"No one." he lied.

"The assignment was to draw something that scares you…" Miss Trinket pointed out, placing a hand on his shoulder. He jerked away. Her hand hovered in the air for a second and then she simply lowered it down gracefully. He was afraid she would press the point but she simply smiled at him and looked back at the painting again. "You have talent, Peeta. This is _really_ good."

He wasn't sure it was _that_ good. He thought she might have been trying to be kind. Still, she was nice. "Thanks. I should…"

"Oh, yes!" she exclaimed, glancing at the delicate golden watch around her wrist. "We would not want you to be late again."

She sounded more teasing than serious so he smiled back, quickly cleaned up his station and grabbed his bag. He was at the door when he paused. "Your perfume…"

It had bugged him ever since she had come close enough for him to smell it. It was heavy but not too much and a little fruity too and a part of him hadn't been able to stop thinking about it, about the curve of her neck or how tight the cashmere sweater she was wearing was… It was the same part that had made his mind wander during lunch and he wasn't really interested in a _repeat_.

"Yes?" she encouraged with a small puzzled frown, her head tilted to the side.

 _What was he doing?_

Why was today that weird?

"It smells good." he mumbled, red in the face, and then he left without even acknowledging her thank you.

Forget practice, he needed a cold shower. And maybe some form of exorcism.

* * *

 _Peeta is struuuuggling. What, you didn't think there wouldn't be angst, yeah? So, is there something weird in the air or what? Any theory? Let me know your thoughts!_


	11. E2: The Art Of Stealing Hearts (3)

3.

* * *

Katniss _wasn't_ hiding in Haymitch's classroom. She had simply made the judicious choice of removing herself from the rest of the school before she _killed_ someone. She had a free period and she didn't want to have to witness another brawl between two boys fighting over a girl or having to get involved because one of the football players thought it was perfectly okay to _assault_ girls in the hallway. One of them had groped Madge that morning and Katniss had almost broken his arm.

She wasn't sure what was happening to boys but they had been even stranger and more annoying than usual for close to a week. Every time she met Gale he made more or less covert remarks about Peeta and every time she met Peeta he asked if she had seen Gale and if she wanted to hang out as if he didn't have dozens of other friends he could spend time with.

Even Madge thought the male population was acting _really_ weird. They had even caught the principal giving flowers to his assistant.

"I've been trying to reach her for a week." Haymitch snapped. He had been on the phone when she had come in but she had still taken a seat, figuring that if he wanted privacy he would tell her so. As far as she could tell, he had been kept on hold for a while. "Look, I want to talk to Mags Cohen. She ain't answering her phone at home. I know you keep track of your Watchers… If she's missing…"

On the phone with the Council, then. Katniss propped her head on her hand and watched him get more and more agitated, wondering if she should get a headstart on her homework because after school there would be training and patrolling and she wasn't really keeping on top of the grade situation. Not that she cared much. There were more important things in life. Like making sure Prim had everything she needed and that the vampire population remained under check.

"What do you mean she _ain't_ missing?" he spat. "She's _eighty_. Don't tell me you sent her out on a mission at _eighty_?" He paused for a long time and then snorted. "Yeah, good. Get President Coin on the line. _Finally_. I've just been asking for twenty minutes." He glared at the phone and then looked back at her. "They've put me on hold again."

"Who's Mags Cohen?" she asked.

He hesitated and then shrugged, bringing the phone back against his ear. "She used to be a Watcher. She's a very good friend of mine. And I wanted some information…" He placed his hand on the mouthpiece, which seemed a bit overkill since he was on hold anyway, and frowned at her. "You're avoiding the new Art teacher like I told you, right?"

"Yeah." She nodded. For a whole week she had been making unnecessary detours while stealing a peek at the woman every time she could get away with it. She didn't really see what the big deal was because the woman _wasn't_ a vampire and she looked harmless – and totally ridiculous, she spoke loud, laughed a lot and twirled her hands in the air when she talked in a theatrical way. And that was without mentioning the clothes. She was always wearing at least _one_ item in a blinding bright color. "Ever gonna tell me why I'm avoiding her?"

Haymitch studied her for a while and then shrugged. "Training exercise."

That was a lie and she scowled at him. She didn't like being manipulated or lied to. "You…"

"Yeah, I'm here." he suddenly said into the phone. "Yeah, Alma, I know there's a time difference. Sorry for your tea time." He didn't sound sorry at all. "I can't get a hold on Mags." A pause and then an angry expression twisted his features. "You really think _I_ need a reason to want to talk to Mags? I check in with her every other week, it _ain't_ normal I can't reach her." There was a long pause and then anger turned to worry. "What do you mean _a stroke_? Why didn't anyone call me?" Next thing Katniss knew, he was on his feet and pacing the length of the room, almost growling into his cell phone. " _I_ 'm her _fucking_ next of kin! And why didn't _Finnick_ call me, then? I've got a right to…" He abruptly shut up and then rubbed his neck. "How bad is it? I could catch a plane tonight…" More silence on his part then. "Yeah. Right. I _know_ I can't leave my Slayer alone, _thanks_. Okay. No, everything's fine here, we don't need any help. Tell Finnick to call me or I'm gonna strangle him next time I see him."

He cut the call off and tossed the phone on his desk but he didn't stop his pacing.

"Is your friend alright?" Katniss asked. A stroke sounded _bad_.

"Stable." he grumbled. "Once I get a hold on that little peacock, though… Last week and _nobody_ called me yet?"

She had never seen him that agitated. He wasn't really forthcoming about his past and she never pried because… She understood wanting to keep some things close to one's chest. She wouldn't have liked people asking questions about her parents, her sister or her home life and she appreciated that Haymitch never directly inquired about it. Oh, he had ways of figuring out what he wanted to know, of course, but he never _confronted_ her about that stuff. He gave her her space and she was grateful for that.

Still, she was a little curious. "Finnick's your brother?"

He had mentioned a brother once and if that Mags was his next of kin… Well, it wasn't a huge leap to take.

Haymitch stopped pacing and stood frozen, as if she had struck him.

"My brother's dead, sweetheart." he said quietly. "Finnick's… a close friend."

His voice was calm but she could tell he was anything but. His tone was too controlled, too _neutral_ … Haymitch was hardly ever _neutral_. Sarcasm was his default answer to everything and anger a close second behind that. When he wasn't sarcastic or angry, he was bitter. Neutral was… bad.

"Like Mags?" she hesitated.

She wasn't the only hesitant one. They were on treacherous ground, here.

They weren't in a habit of exchanging confidences like that.

"Yeah, a bit." he finally offered. Another beat of silence and then he licked his lips and started toward the window, turning his back on her. "Mags raised me. My house… It was hers. She gave it to me when my first Slayer was called. Maysilee."

The way he said it was odd, a little dreadful, as if he was waiting for her to connect some dots. He had been raised by a Watcher…. He had said he had known seven Slayers in all but only trained five, herself not included… Were the two Slayers Mags had been responsible for the Slayers in question? But how had Haymitch ended up raised by a Watcher?

"Look, if you want to go to England, you should. I can deal with vampires by myself for a few days." she offered. What was the worst that could happen? The rumor that there was a Slayer in town had started to spread anyway, vampires were being a little more careful. Lately, on patrol, she mostly found fledglings or very reckless ones.

He turned around and stared at her, his arms folded in front of his chest almost as if he was hugging himself in a weird display of vulnerability. He seemed to be considering it, which told her that Watcher was really important to him because she was pretty sure nothing else would have dragged him away from his duty.

He might always joke about it and claim he had never wanted to get another Slayer but he was as dedicated to being her Watcher as could be. At least when he wasn't drinking himself into a stupor – that had happened twice so far as she knew of and, to be fair, he hadn't been expecting her to show up either time.

She wasn't sure what he would have said if Peeta hadn't barged into the classroom right at that moment, looking out of breath.

"Ah good! You're here!" he exclaimed. "I've been looking everywhere for you! Have you heard about Woof?"

Haymitch rolled his eyes. "What has he lost now?"

Katniss smiled although she tried not to. Mr Woof was always losing stuff – his marker, his car keys, the solution to his math problems… He was a bit old and the question of his retirement was a recurring joke.

"His clothes." Peeta deadpanned, looking at her and Haymitch in turn.

"Good for him." Haymitch snorted. "That makes one of us."

That was a piece of information she hadn't needed and she glared at him.

"And his _heart_." Peeta added with a cringe.

Haymitch made a face. "Tell me this is a figure of speech."

"I wish." he answered softly. "It's all over the school. They found him in his classroom. The police is about to take the body away. I couldn't get close enough to see if there were bite marks on his neck."

Haymitch scowled and then bitterly snorted. "Guess this settles that. Ain't going anywhere, Katniss." Then he strode toward the door and Katniss automatically bolted out of her chair to follow, Peeta falling into steps next to her. Haymitch kept mumbling to himself. "Wouldn't be bite marks… That ain't a vampire M.O."

"Then _what_?" Katniss frowned. She struggled to keep up with him, the corridors were crowded with curious students and Haymitch had to bark three times for them to go back to their respective classroom before they managed to get through.

"Demon. Cult. A serial killer. Your guess is as good as mine until I can get my eyes on the body." he muttered.

It occurred to her that it was where they were headed: to see Mr Woof's body and she stopped dead in her tracks. She liked her Math teacher. She didn't want to see him naked or heartless or _dead_.

There was a small group of people in front of Woof's classroom. Heavensbee, some police officers in uniforms and a couple of teachers…

Peeta had noticed her hesitation but Haymitch hadn't. Not that it mattered much anyway because she didn't see how they were going to sneak into a crime scene to get a peek at the body…

"Stay back." Haymitch murmured. "I'll try to get a closer look."

"There were a lot more cops earlier." Peeta explained in a low voice. "I think there are only those two left."

They watched Haymitch approach the group with a – fake or not, it was hard to tell with him – concerned expression on his face. He was welcomed into the group easily enough. Miss Tigris was sobbing and Heavensbee was awkwardly trying to comfort her, greeting Haymitch with something akin to relief… There was a lot of talking between the teachers and the cops…

All in all, it was lucky Miss Trinket erupted in hysterics at that moment because, otherwise, Katniss didn't see how Haymitch would have managed to go in and out of the room undetected. Lucky for them, Trinket's breakdown seemed to last just long enough for him to slip in and out without being noticed.

"Do you think she's alright?" Peeta worried. "I hope she's alright…"

Katniss took a look at the woman and decided she simply liked having the spotlight directed at her. She really didn't see why Haymitch didn't want her to go anywhere near her.

It took Haymitch ten more minutes to extract himself from the group and walk back down to them. He didn't look happy but, then again, he had just peeked at the dead body of someone he was used to meeting every day in the staff room.

"Someone clawed his heart out. I'm gonna say demons." he sighed, looking grim. "We're gonna need to hit the books."

"Can I help?" Peeta immediately asked.

Haymitch seemed to hesitate but Katniss rolled her eyes.

"He's just going to show up anyway." she told her Watcher. "And he's good at research."

Peeta beamed at her and it was Haymitch's turn to roll his eyes. "Okay. Fine."

"I'll bring donuts." Peeta declared

"A little less cheer, kid." her Watcher chided. "There's still a dead body." He paused for a second and then added. "Grab some of those chocolate croissants you brought on patrol the other night if you can, yeah? Those were good."

°O°O°O°O°

Katniss was turning into a promising fighter but she was hopeless when it came down to research.

Haymitch had her practicing knife tossing in a corner of the library just so he wouldn't have to listen to her sigh over dusty books any longer. He was also keeping an eye on the clock. With something that ate hearts on the loose, they would need to patrol extra hard that night. He was toying with the thought of separating to cover more ground but he didn't like the idea of leaving Katniss without backup.

Or at least a backup who wasn't a sixteen year-old boy without any demon fighting training but who seemed to be a fixed addition to their future. It was odd being three. Watcher and Slayer, that was how it worked usually, although Haymitch's experience had never really followed that pattern… First there had been him and his brother and Mags, and then there had been him, Mags and Mabel… He and Maysilee had worked in close quarters with a warlock for quite a while… It had been a tandem with both Alina, Cecelia and Jo but, of course, with Annie there had been Finnick…

Thinking about Finnick made him think about Mags and he shut down that train of thought quickly enough. The younger Watcher had yet to call him back and worrying about it… Worrying about it wouldn't bring him anything.

He washed that thought down with a gulp of his flask, ignoring Peeta's disapproving blue eyes. Katniss didn't seem to mind his drinking habits much but the boy had that judgmental spark in his eyes every time he drank some liquor in front of him. Mostly, Haymitch tried to ignore him. When Peeta had buried as many people as he had and seen as many horrors as he did, he could come and judge him all he liked. Until then, Haymitch would keep on drinking. Besides, he was sober enough. He always stayed sober enough when his Slayer needed him.

He closed the _Maleficum_ and dragged _Hellish Beasts And Other Demons_ toward him, hoping he would have more luck there.

For a while, the only sounds in the library were the regular noise of Katniss' knives hitting the target. She tossed the knives, retrieved them, tossed them, retrieve them… A weird clock in herself.

"I think I got it." Peeta said suddenly. Haymitch looked up and Katniss left her practice to swiftly join them around the big round table. The boy turned the book around so they could both see the not so nice illustrations.

"Gross." Katniss cringed when she saw the pictures. The demon didn't look nice and what it was doing to those people was even less so.

"Succubus…" Haymitch read out loud, taking the book from the kid's hands. Yeah, that could fit the pattern… He had never seen one himself in all those years. They were rare.

"They say it's a demon who can look human outside of feeding times." the boy summed up. "They go on a feeding spree once every few years. The succubus preys on men and tears their hearts out during coitus."

"Coitus?" Katniss wrinkled her nose.

"It means sex." Peeta helpfully offered.

"I know what it means, it's just… _Disgusting_." she replied. "So what? This demon just shows up and…"

"She seduces her victims." Haymitch cut her off, his eyes skimming the text. "When the feeding period begins, her pheromones tend to make the general male population around her obsessed with sex… More than usual, at least."

"Explains why all the boys have been acting crazy." she commented, looking at them suspiciously. "But… Wouldn't you two have noticed? Why didn't you say anything?"

He and Peeta exchanged a look. A look was all it took to confirm they had both probably been hornier than usual lately. Men didn't need to discuss _those things_.

At least, it explained _some_ things. Like why he had been feeling like a teenager again. His hand had been cramping from all the wet dreams he had been having.

"At least Woof died happy. Poor man." he muttered.

"How do we kill it?" Katniss asked, bringing the conversation back on track. She was also tossing them disappointed glances as if she had been expecting much better from both of them.

"Pretty much everything will do…" he answered, after having looked the text over again. "Wouldn't go with just a bow though… Better bring knives too, to be safe."

"Great." she deadpanned but she also looked impatient for battle. Vampire activity had been slow lately and the thrill of a fight was in a Slayer's blood.

"But how do we _find_ the succubus?" Peeta asked. "If she looks human, it could be anyone…"

That stalled them all for a second until Haymitch figured it out and snorted.

"I'm a _fucking_ idiot." he spat.

"Nobody is going to dispute _that_ …" Katniss muttered under her breath.

He shot her a glare but leaned back in his chair and shook his head. "I knew there was something weird about that woman… Thought she was a spy from the Council, that's why I was trying to reach Mags…"

But maybe it had just been his instincts warning him and his current paranoia about Coin's policies had clouded his judgment. What had she said? That she had come back to the States to be closer to her family? When her family lived in Los Angeles? It was probably the Hellmouth that she wanted to get closer to.

"Who?" Katniss frowned and then realized. "The Art teacher? _That's_ why you wanted me to avoid her?"

"Miss Trinket?" Peeta cut in with a desolate face. "But she's _so_ nice… There's no way she can be a demon. I mean…"

"Think about it, boy." Haymitch rebuked. "I don't know about you but for me the whole horny-thing started the day she arrived. And, like I said, she's fishy. Besides she's…"

He let his sentence trail off but he could tell from Peeta's expression that he didn't need to finish it.

"She's what?" Katniss insisted, apparently not on the same wavelength.

 _Hot. Beautiful. Sexy. Feisty enough to be interesting. Take your pick._

"She looks like a sex demon would look if she was human." he said as diplomatically as he could.

It took almost a whole minute for Katniss to decipher that one. And then she scoffed. "You think she's _attractive_."

He shrugged. "Sweetheart, demon or not, she _is_ attractive."

"And you think so too?" The question was directed straight at Peeta with the velocity of one of her arrows and the boy almost _ducked_ behind one of the pile of books.

 _E tu, Brute_ , Haymitch couldn't help but think with a smirk.

"She's… She's…" Peeta stuttered to a stop and turned toward Haymitch. "How do we check for sure she's a demon? It's just… She's _really_ nice."

"Yeah, right until she _fucks_ the heart out of you." he snorted.

Katniss made another disgusted face. "Peeta's got a point. I can't just go killing her if she's not a demon."

" _You think_?" He rolled his eyes. "It's fine. I'll be bait. When she turns into an ugly demon, you can come to the rescue."

"You'll be bait." Katniss repeated dubiously.

"Are you sure?" Peeta said, just as dubiously.

He lifted an eyebrow at the kid. "What? You want to do it?"

It was mostly a rhetorical question because there was no way Haymitch would have let him do it but the boy still took a second too long to refuse. And his blue eyes darted to Katniss before coming back on him, his cheeks a little red.

"No. Obviously not." the kid mumbled. "And she's not _that_ attractive anyway. I mean…"

Katniss' expression was dark and Haymitch chuckled.

"Quit while you're ahead, boy." he advised wisely. "Alright. We've got a plan, that's good."

"How are you going to play bait when we don't know where she lives?" Katniss asked. " _Do_ you know where she lives?"

"Do I look like a fucking phone book to you?" he scoffed.

"The school." Peeta said. "I mean… They'd have her address on record, right? If we can get into Cardew or Heavensbee's computer…"

Haymitch checked his watch again. It was late enough that the high school would be empty or close to it. He shrugged. "Well… It's been a while since I last broke in somewhere."

Of course, it was never _that_ easy.

* * *

 _There is a succubuuuuus! Did you enjoy this chapter? Is the school outing going to work out? What do you think will happen? Let me know your thoughts!_


	12. E2: The Art Of Stealing Hearts (4)

4.

* * *

Haymitch's bike was faster than Peeta's truck and he arrived first at the school to find the doors unlocked despite the late hour. He was inspecting the broken locks when the kids finally showed up.

"There are three cars in the parking lot." Peeta informed him.

Haymitch hadn't bothered parking, he had left the bike on the curb like he often did.

"Maybe we won't need to go looking for an address after all." he muttered. "Peeta, you've got a weapon?"

He didn't bother asking Katniss because her bow was in her hand and he could see the quiver on her back. He hoped she had followed his advices and had brought knives too. He also didn't bother suggesting Peeta waited in the car because, all things considered, the boy would probably be safer with one of them than out there where vampires could grab him while they were busy hunting monsters.

Peeta wordlessly fished a stake out of his jacket pocket. That wouldn't take him far and, with a sigh, Haymitch slipped out the knife he kept in his boot and handed it over. "Just in case. But _don't_ try to take a demon by yourself. You're attacked, you run."

He pushed the door and they all sneaked inside. It was dark and silent and there was something very eerie to that school after hours, always had been. He couldn't remember the number of times he and Mabel had been forced to break in at some point or another, to fight vampires or hunt demons or… He chased the memories away. There were no need to add ghosts to those dark corridors when they were already tracking a monster.

"We should separate." Katniss whispered.

"That's what they always say in horror movies before getting killed one after the other." Peeta countered on the same tone.

"If you're scared…" Katniss retorted, a little louder.

"I'm _not_ scared." Peeta protested.

Haymitch, on his part, rolled his eyes.

" _Quiet_." he ordered in a low voice. "You kids, go right. I'll take left. We loop around and meet up near the principal office. If you find Trinket, try to force her to reveal herself. Don't take unnecessary risks. If you see the succubus in demon form, you shout for me."

"Will you shout for us?" Katniss frowned. "Cause last time…"

Last time he had stupidly tried to confront Cashmere on his own and it hadn't ended so well for him. This time he'd be prepared.

"I'll shout." he promised, taking a step toward the west wing of the school.

"Wait." Peeta said. "Do you have your phone? There's no need to _shout_ , it's not the middle ages."

It only took a minute to call the kids and wedge the phone in the back pocket of his jeans. Now, with the call open, if one of them found anything, the others would hear. That kid really had good ideas.

"Don't let him get himself killed." Haymitch told Katniss. "And don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"So, nothing stupid, then?" she mocked.

 _Sassy kid_ , he thought, not without fondness as he set off on his own, trying _not_ to linger on the boy's remark about horror movies. Again, he had a point. But assuming one of the cars in the parking lot was Trinket's – and since she had already fed on the premises, it might very well be – that left maybe two civilians on school ground and that meant two potential victims. Separating would go quicker.

He adjusted his grip on the stake he had pulled out of his own jacket. Just in case it wasn't the succubus roaming around but a good old bloodsucker, and told himself everything would be fine. It would be Katniss' first demon but she could handle it. She had the training and she had the strength.

Small noises echoed down the corridor and he wondered if the kids could pick it through the phone or if it was too tenuous. He carefully followed the sound to his own classroom. The beam of a flashlight was moving around and when Haymitch's boot squeaked against the linoleum floor, it turned directly into his face. He lifted the hand that was closed around the stake to shield his eyes and felt around the wall for the light switch with the other.

"Oh!" a high-pitched female voice exclaimed when light flooded the classroom.

Two could play at blinding the other.

He would have liked to say he was surprised but he wasn't. There stood Effie Trinket, wearing tight fitting black pants and a loose powder-blue mid-sleeves shirt with three long beaded necklaces swaying gently around her neck, her blond hair in disarray and her phone clutched in her hand, the small light insignificant now that the neon tubes were flooding them in their harsh glare.

Her blue eyes stayed fixed on the stake for a second but if she was surprised or shocked at seeing him clutching a pointy piece of wood, she didn't let on.

"Looking for something?" he asked.

Her gaze darted up to his face and then back to the stake before she turned off the flashlight on her phone with studied disinterest. "Yes, actually."

"And you thought you could find it in my classroom?" he insisted, hoping the kids would hear and come barging in – well, actually, he hoped they would move his way but that Peeta would hold Katniss back long enough that Trinket lost her disguise and turned full demon.

Trinket looked a little rattled. Maybe it was the stake.

"I was hoping you had something that could help, yes." she deadpanned. "But the only thing you seem to be keeping in your desk is alcohol, which I do not find as shocking as it should be."

"Oh, I have something that can help alright…" he smirked, taking a few confident steps toward her. "I know what you want…"

"Given how diligently you have been avoiding me, I very much doubt that." she huffed.

"I've seen the way you look at me…" he continued, advancing on her slowly. He half-expected her to step back but she held her ground, lifting her chin higher in a challenging attitude that made his pants a little uncomfortable. He did like difficult women, that was his curse. "Looked almost _hungry,_ sweetheart."

She pursed her lips in anticipation. When she spoke, her voice was shaky. " _Preposterous_. And do not call me pet names if you would."

He was in front of her, then, and she stopped talking. He placed his hands on her hips and she didn't even flinch when she felt the length of the stake pressed against her side. A gentle push and she let him guide her backwards until her back hit the desk.

"Mr Abernathy, this is _highly_ unprofessional." she replied. "Not to mention… There might very well be a…"

"I've been thinking about it since we met." he confessed. "It's that posh accent of yours…"

She didn't look very impressed. "Do you hate all the people with an English accent or is it only me? I will have you know I _am_ an American, I simply spent over half my life in England. One picks up a few things along the way."

He reached out and brushed her blond curls back behind her shoulder, forcing himself not to remember the illustrations in the book and what she must have really looked like under the human disguise.

"You know the babble'd be cute if your voice wasn't so _damn_ annoying." he taunted.

She pursed her lips, narrowed her eyes at him and tilted her head to the side in irritation but her pupils were a little blown and he took that as a good sign. If she was getting aroused, she would stop pretending to be human soon and try to make him his meal.

"They _did_ warn me you were infuriating." she commented. "They did not warn me you would be so forward. Truly when did I _ever_ give you any hint that…"

"If you don't want it, tell me to stop." he challenged.

She licked her lips, her breathing that little bit faster…

She remained mute though.

"You're really hot." he hummed, leaning in to press a kiss on her neck. He was completely in her space now. One of her hands landed on his waist, the other on his shoulder and her head fell completely to the side with a soft surprised noise. " _So_ hot…" He pressed another kiss on her neck, a little higher, and let his tongue poke at her skin. She clutched at his jacket, letting out a sound that was between a whimper and a sigh.

He kissed his way up her jaw.

" _Fuck_ …" she hissed.

He hadn't expected her to be vulgar and his hips jerked forward of their own volition. He wasn't sure if her pressing back was deliberate but it drove him mad.

She smelt so good… _Tasted_ so good…

He was losing grip…

If she didn't reveal herself soon, he might not be able to resist her spell any longer…

"Mr Abernathy…" she breathed out with a hint of gravity, as if she was clinging to the last of her sanity. "Are you quite certain…"

"Haymitch." he corrected.

She was about to kill him, she might as well call him by his given name.

And then he kissed her.

There was only a second of hesitation on her part. Then, she kissed back and it was _glorious_. Her hands were in his hair, tilting his head the way she wanted it and he only vaguely heard the clicking sound of his stake hitting the floor because he was too busy grabbing her ass to lift her up onto the desk. He kept his eyes closed, a little too scared she would look demon-y when he would open them and it was _so good_ he wanted to keep the lie alive a little longer.

For the first time in his life, he understood why so many humans were so eager to give in to the darkness.

He wasn't sure the sex would be worth losing one's life or soul over but right then it certainly seemed like it.

He felt himself completely losing grip. She was too warm, too perfect, too inviting…

He didn't even have it in him to call his Slayer for help.

°O°O°O°O°

Peeta was doing his best to follow Katniss _silently_ but her irritated looks told him he wasn't being stealthy enough.

The school had never been his favorite place but, at night, it was even worse.

"Why didn't you tell me Miss Trinket might be a demon?" he whispered after a couple of minutes because he needed a distraction. He had been watching Katniss' six rather than their surroundings and he wasn't sure if he could entirely blame the succubus effects on his metabolism for it or not. To be entirely honest, it wasn't the first time he had checked her out and that didn't date back from a week ago.

She shot him another chiding look because his voice carried in the empty corridors even worse than his footsteps did. _She_ didn't make a sound. She was in full hunter mode. She hadn't notched any arrows yet but she was focused and he knew it would only take a second to grab one from the quiver at her back.

His palm was sweaty around the handle of Haymitch's knife.

"I didn't know." she answered eventually. "He just told me to avoid her."

"And you didn't ask why?" he whispered back.

She rolled her eyes. "Last week he had me standing on my hands without moving for a whole hour. I didn't ask why either. Slayer training stuff is ridiculous."

"Fair enough." he sighed. "But I wish you wouldn't keep that sort of things from me. I'm part of the team, right?"

It came out more insecure than he wanted it to but she barely even blinked.

"You're here, aren't you?" she retorted. "Why haven't you told me you were feeling weird?"

 _Because I didn't think you would like to hear I was thinking about you naked,_ he absolutely _didn't_ say.

Just then, Haymitch's voice came out of his phone. He had set the volume as low as possible for maximum discretion but it was enough for them to hear the Watcher still.

" _Looking for something_?" A pause. _"And you think you could find it in my classroom?"_

They exchanged a look and took off down an adjacent corridor without a word. They were at the other end of the school from Haymitch's classroom and it would take them a good ten minutes even at a run. Time enough for Haymitch to get himself killed while playing bait.

He was running so hard his blood was pumping in his ears and it was probably lucky because he _really_ didn't want to hear what was coming out of his phone. His History teacher and his Art teacher's weird brand of flirting was disturbing and it was nothing to when Haymitch actually got it going on.

There were kissing noises before long.

Katniss shot him a disgusting look. "How long before she turns demon?"

He shrugged helplessly. The book hadn't said and the only one of their trio with actual demon knowledge was currently making out with one.

And then Haymitch let out a scream of agony.

* * *

 _Oh oh... Is Effie going to eat Haymitch? (in a non enjoyable way?) Let me know your thoughts!_


	13. E2: The Art Of Stealing Hearts (5)

5.

* * *

"This is a mistake." Trinket mumbled against his mouth before capturing it again in another savage kiss.

"What?" Haymitch snorted, _forcing_ himself to draw back long enough to take a good look, telling himself that if she didn't look human anymore he wouldn't hesitate twice before stabbing her. "Conflicted conscience?"

It would have been a first. A conflicted demon. It was hard to suppress one's nature, all the more so when survival was involved.

She opened her mouth, probably to _eat him_ and he kissed her again. One last time, he told himself as he licked the roof of her mouth, prompting to make another one of those keening sounds. Just one last kiss. Then he would let her turn demon and he would get rid of her… Or let Katniss get rid of her. He _would_ …

The things she would do with her tongue were _evil_.

He slipped one hand under her blouse and pressed his palm flat on her lower back. Her skin was soft and warm and it made him want _more_.

Then again, he figured succubus knew their trade. She would probably only show her real self once he was too far gone under her spell…

"Haymitch…" she breathed out against his lips. "Haymitch, you need to stop. I strongly suspect there is a…"

A man screamed.

They both snapped their heads to the side to look at the door at the same moment, their mouths separating with a popping noise that would probably have made him ashamed in other circumstances. The scream had been one of agony, of someone _dying_ – he had heard enough people dying to know.

Haymitch's heart was racing in his chest, his lips were still tingling from all the kissing.

"You _ain't_ the succubus." he stated – just to be sure.

She huffed and shoved at his chest but she wasn't very strong and it wasn't enough to make him move. Not when her legs remained locked around his waist anyway. "You thought I was _a sex demon?_ "

Which, as it was becoming obvious, she really _wasn't_.

But she was well-informed. That, however, was a problem for later.

" _Shit_." he spat, moving away from her. "Stay here. Lock the door. I'm gonna come back for you when it's safe."

"Why don't you have any weapon in your classroom!" she half-asked, half-complained, going back to rummaging through the drawer of his desk.

"Cupboard!" he shouted over his shoulder, already taking off at a run.

He wasn't sure where the scream had come from so he picked a direction a little at random, listening hard for any noise, hoping it wasn't _Peeta_ who had fallen down.

He patted the back of his jeans, remembering the phone a moment too late but he couldn't find it. Had Trinket groped him? Had it fallen down? He couldn't remember. The whole thing had been so… He was reluctant to use the word _passionate_. And yet… If she wasn't a sex demon, she certainly had good moves.

Switching the lights on in his classroom had been a bad idea, his eyes were having troubles getting accustomed to the dark again. It was probably why he tripped over the dead janitor and landed face first in a puddle of blood. He scrambled back, staring at the man whose chest had been ripped apart and the deep hole where the heart should have been. It was messy, just as messy as Woof's crime scene had been, and the bile rose at the back of his throat. The man's pants were also down to his knees but Haymitch wasn't sure this one had died _that_ happy.

Had they rushed the succubus? Did she know they were hunting her?

He got back to his feet with difficulties because the floor was slippery and looked for the hunting knife he kept at the small of his back.

That was when he heard the sobs.

He didn't have to look far. Felindra Tigris was huddled between two row of lockers, curled up in a tight frightened ball, tears running down her cheeks.

"Tigris?" he whispered.

She looked up, her face one of pure relief mixed with terror.

"Haymitch!" she exclaimed in a rough voice. How long had she been crying? "Haymitch, there was a… I know it's _crazy_ but there was a _monster_. It ate him. It…"

She was working herself in a panic and Haymitch crouched next to her, rubbing her arms. "It's alright. I believe you. Where did it go?"

Footsteps noises from around the corridor's corner answered that question. Only one person and far more heavy than his Slayer could be. It _wasn't_ Katniss nor Peeta.

"Come on. We need to move." he ordered, hauling the poor trembling woman to her feet.

"The Biology classroom…" she whispered, clinging to his arm. "It's in the next corridor…"

"Yeah. Okay. Good." he agreed and dragged her in that direction.

Although given the way she was gripping his arm, there were little chances of her running toward danger anyway. She looked so frail, so fragile… Someone like her would have zero chance against a demon. He felt _compelled_ to help her.

They rushed into the Biology classroom and he closed the door softly, pressing his face against the small window in the middle so he could see outside. It was too dark and the plexiglass was too thick in any case.

"I need to go back out there and find this thing." he told her without looking back. "Just lock the door and…"

"No, you need to help me." Tigris objected, still clinging to his arm. Her nails were digging sharply into his flesh.

"I'm _trying_ to." he scowled. "Look…"

"I'm so hungry, Haymitch…" she hissed. "You have to help me."

A chill ran down his spine.

He looked down at the small woman with her mane of red hair and felt his stomach coil in dread. Was it his imagination or did her eyes look split, like a cat?

"Tigris…" he said, a little warningly.

He felt around the small of his back for his knife but it was too late.

Strong hands had grabbed his face and had pulled him into a kiss.

°O°O°O°O°O°

The door to Haymitch's classroom was open and Katniss barged in without hesitation, ready to let her arrows fly on the first thing that moved. The light threw her for a second because she had grown used to the corridor's darkness but it wouldn't stop her getting her stupid mentor to safety.

The problem was nothing was moving inside the classroom.

It was empty.

A wave of panic came over her and she froze.

Peeta came sprinting in right after her and almost collided with her.

"He said _his classroom._ " she breathed out. "He said…"

He had been there. The cupboard in which he kept the emergency weapons was open, the padlock was broken on the floor. He had probably tried to get something heavy to defend himself… The knife mustn't have cut it…

Peeta immediately grabbed the phone out of his pocket. "Haymitch?"

Peeta's distorted voice came out from near the teacher's desk. They looked at each other and she knew they were both wondering the same thing: was the desk enough to hide a body?

Katniss couldn't move.

She was the Slayer. It was her job, her _duty,_ to go check if he was lying there, if the demon was still there… It was her duty but the thought of _Haymitch_ dead on the floor with a missing heart…

He was a grumpy, nasty old drunk but his heart… His heart was so big it would have been far too cruel to have a demon rip it out. She had only known him for a month and already her life had taken a drastic turn – and, _sure_ , she could have done without the vampires but he had made it a lot easier for her to take care of Prim. He gave her money for groceries, he had found a doctor for her mother, he had sorted the bills for her… She had never thanked him for his help or even told him how grateful she was for any of it. She had kept up the pretence that he did those things to compensate her Slayer activities because any other explanation involved too many complications.

You got attached to people and they died or became catatonic…

"Katniss."

Peeta's voice cut in through her sudden panic and she jerked her head to look at him, realizing only belatedly that she was on the verge of fainting because she was holding her breath. Her eyes were blurry and she blinked…

"I'll go look." he told her, in a tone that wasn't as confident as he probably wanted it to be. "Get ready. In case…"

In case there was a feasting succubus waiting to jump on them.

She nodded once and wiped her eyes with a sweep of her arm. Then she got into position, training her arrow at the desk. Peeta crept toward it carefully, the knife Haymitch had given him awkwardly clutched into his hand. He was holding it wrong and she told herself she would teach him if they ever got out of there in one piece.

He was pale and probably as scared as she felt when he finally reached the desk. Suddenly, though, the tension left his body. "He's not here. There's no one here."

Katniss breathed out in relief and joined him in a couple of quick strides. Her eyes spotted the stake on the floor but it was Peeta who found the phone with its split screen. It must have fallen from his pocket.

"He made it out." she deduced, turning from the desk to the weapons cupboard.

"There's no blood." he said. "So he's not injured or anything. That's good."

"Then, why did he scream like that?" she retorted. "You don't scream like that unless you're dying. And he was in there with her."

A sword was missing from the cupboard. She knew for sure because Haymitch had made her memorize the contents of the classroom's 'armory' in case she ever needed it. It was modest compared to the arsenal he kept at home but he insisted it was better to have a stash of weapons in different locations because you never knew when you might need one.

She grabbed a cutlass. She was still hoping the arrows would do the trick but a cutlass was bigger than a knife and she didn't want to go _that_ close to a sex demon anyway.

"Maybe it wasn't him…" Peeta suggested. "There are other people here… The cars in the parking lot…"

Maybe. She wasn't sure. She had heard a man shout and she had panicked. And now Haymitch was missing as well as a sword and an Art teacher and it didn't bode well either way.

"Grab that axe." she told Peeta, nodding at the only big weapon left in the cupboard. "I'm going to kill this demon."

They were just exiting the classroom to search for more clues when they heard the crash. Katniss ran straight toward the noise. A few corridors away, she narrowly missed slipping into the puddle of blood.

"Guess it _wasn't_ Haymitch." Peeta commented with relief, grabbing her arm to steady her.

She recognized the uniform more than the man. The janitor. His chest was cracked open and the stench was enough to make her eyes watery again. She swallowed back the bile and bumped into Peeta's shoulder to make him stop staring in morbid fascination. Even in the dark, she could tell his face was clammy and he was fighting the same nausea she was.

A pained cry echoed from the next corridor.

" _This_ was Haymitch." she growled and took off again.

Trinket was dead, she vowed.

°O°O°O°O°O°

Haymitch managed to get his knife from the small of his back and kissed the demon harder, hoping to distract her enough that she wouldn't notice the blade he was holding behind _her_ back. He tried to get the angle right. If he got the angle right…

"Drop it, Haymitch." the woman purred, her cattish eyes shining a soft yellow in the darkness. "You don't want to hurt me."

He really, _really_ wanted to hurt her.

And yet his fingers loosened their grip around the handle of the knife. He fought it, fought the soothing voice in his head that was telling him everything was fine, fought the lie… But he couldn't resist it anymore than he usually could resist the lure of liquor.

She kissed him again, steered him away from the door and to the lab bench… He tried to resist, tried to call for help…

"Shh…" Tigris whispered before he could form a sound. "You don't want to struggle, Haymitch. You want to help me. You want _me_. It will be over before you know it. Pleasure like you cannot imagine and then… oblivion."

He wasn't sure how he ended up on his back on top of one of the lab benches, he was barely aware of her ripping his shirt open.

"I'm sorry, this will have to be quick…" she continued. "But you will still enjoy it, I promise. You want me after all, don't you? And you want to help me. I am so hungry…"

Her nails left a scratch down his chest but he was far beyond protesting now. Everything she would give, he would take. Everything she wanted, he would give.

"You will do just fine." she grinned. He caught a glimpse of teeth. Except they were not teeth but _fangs_. "You…"

The door crashed down.

Tigris looked up with a hiss, her face not at all the one he had grown used to in the last month. Her features had grown pointier, a soft fur covered her body, the mane of hair had become a real mane and there was a tail flicking the air behind her. And, of course, there were the fangs and the claws and the terrible fact that five of those claws were hooked around Haymitch's belt.

He had been expecting Katniss' great entrance.

It wasn't Katniss.

"My apologies but if anyone is going to rip his heart off tonight, I believe I was here _first_." Effie Trinket declared very seriously and Haymitch couldn't decide if he was hallucinating or not because she was standing there with a sword in her left hand and a fireball in her right one and _that_ …

He was already hard. Demonic pheromones and what not. But if he hadn't been, he was pretty sure that sight alone might have done it.

The fireball caught the demon on the side and flung her away from him. It must have severed whatever form of control Tigris had pulled on him too because he felt like himself again and he rolled off the lab bench to get out of the line of fire.

"So what?" he scoffed. "You're a _witch_ now?"

Could she pick one and stick to it? Council spy, demon, re-Council spy, and now witch? He hated it when puzzles resisted him. It annoyed him. And it annoyed him even more that he had never known how to ignore one. That woman _was_ puzzling.

"I dabble." she said in a modest tone, as if they weren't in the middle of a fight.

" _I_ dabble." he muttered. And he _sucked_ at it. Anything involving magic, he usually preferred to call an expert and only did it himself if he had no other choice – and he stuck to _reading_ spells. He had no talent for magic, very little power and certainly none of the smoothness she was demonstrating. "That's not dabbling."

He tried to haul himself up by using a table and winced when she grabbed his arm to help him. He decided he was getting far too old to get his ass kicked by a demon. It had been a lot more thrilling when he had been young.

"Are you hurt?" she worried, her eyes flickering between him and something behind him. " _Duck_!"

He ducked without question and he had been right to do so because she swung the sword without much coordination in a deadly half-circle. Behind him, he heard the demon hiss and he immediately got back on his feet, snatching the blade from her hand.

"Do you even know how to use that?" he snapped. Tigris looked enraged now that Trinket had opened a shallow cut on her collarbone and he didn't like the way she was watching him at all. She still wanted him to be dinner alright. "Sorry, you're not really my type. Wouldn't have worked out."

He had expected the demon to leap and he reacted immediately by lifting the sword. The impact was more brutal than he had calculated though and he ended up falling on his back, the blade knocked off his hand. He rolled with it, intending to use the momentum to kick her off him.

All fight deserted him when she purred.

He couldn't remember why he wanted to hurt her. He shouldn't… She was… She was _everything_ _he wanted_ and…

Claws dug into his chest and he shouted in pain.

Tigris was projected off him and against the wall again.

Trinket was panting as if she had run a marathon but there was another fireball ready in her right hand.

"Magic will not kill her." she warned.

Magic wouldn't kill her and he couldn't go anywhere near her without feeling the need to lie down and let her have some fun and a nice meal. Being a good demon hunter – and a good Watcher – was knowing when you needed to retreat. Because demon hunters who didn't know when to admit they had bitten more than they could chew always ended up _dead_. A good demon hunter was one who _survived_.

He scrambled to his feet, ignoring the pain and the blood freely trickling down his chest, and grabbed Trinket's wrist. "Run."

It was a command, not to be discussed, but she resisted when he tried to pull her away. He looked back to see what the hold-up was and saw the sword he had lost flying through the air toward the demon. It stabbed her in the shoulder and pinned her to the wall. Next thing he knew frost was crusting over the demon's weird-shaped paws and up her legs…

Trinket let out a deep breath and swayed a little.

"It won't hold her long." she warned, finally letting him tug her into the corridor. "But it should give us a head sta…"

Her sentence ended in a yelp when he used the grip he had on her wrist to push her behind him, shielding her with his body. He wasn't sure what had made him do that until he found himself face to face with the business end of an arrow.

"No!" he shouted. "She's with us."

"She's a demon." Katniss growled.

"Turns out she's a witch, after all." he replied, trying to assess his Slayer's condition in the dark. Peeta was standing a foot behind her, gripping the hilt of an axe, and looked okay enough. The girl didn't look any worse.

"I _dabble_." Trinket insisted. "And can we discuss this once…"

The wall burst.

Between the moment the wall exploded and the moment he landed against the opposite one, he only had one thought: they needed to get the hell out of there before Heavensbee showed up because he _wasn't_ explaining that one.

°O°O°O°O°

The wall right next to Haymitch and Trinket burst. Haymitch was projected against the opposite wall amongst a sea of dust and flying pieces of concrete but Katniss lost sight of Trinket in the flying debris.

She couldn't, however, miss the huge cat-like demon right in front of her.

Behind her, Peeta let out a curse.

"Get back." she ordered. She didn't want him to get hurt.

She let loose three successive arrows and while they all found a mark, they didn't seem to do much good either. The demon screeched a high-pitched scream that made her wince.

Haymitch was slowly getting on all four but he didn't look like he was getting back to his feet any time soon.

She shot more arrows, stepping back to get more range, forcing Peeta to step back too, hoping she would at least annoy the demon into following her… But the demon's feral yellow eyes were riveted on Haymitch who didn't even look _aware_ of the danger he was in. It was bleeding and clearly wounded but its hunger was greater than its pain. That, or it didn't consider them dangerous.

She was about to toss the bow and risk taking her chance with the cutlass when Trinket crawled out from under the collapsed wall, coughing dust. She looked up and their eyes met, then the woman looked at the demon's slow but steady advance toward Haymitch and her face hardened.

"Keep shooting." Trinket ordered with the same authority Haymitch always used when she was facing a particularly difficult vampire.

In the same moment, the bow seemed to _hum_ under her hand. The next arrow she let loose was on fire, it left a trail of light in the dark. And so did the next. And the next. The demon finally seemed to notice her and turned away from Haymitch to march toward her, forcing her to step back even more.

"Katniss…" Peeta warned behind her. She knew what he meant. If it jumped, it would be on them in seconds and there would be no time to retreat.

"Get _back_." she ordered again.

"I'm not leaving you!" Peeta foolishly proclaimed.

And he _wouldn't_. She _knew_ he wouldn't. If he ever were to abandon her, he would have done it a lot earlier than _now_. And she wasn't sure what to do with that because in her experience, everyone _always_ left.

And _she_ needed to make sure he would stay safe. "Find a switch! I need to see what I'm doing!"

If she had to get her hands dirty, she wanted to see what she hit.

Meanwhile, Trinket had dragged herself up.

"Light. Yes." the woman murmured.

Katniss barely heard her under the demon's pained screeches. Next thing she knew, the corridor was _flooded_ with light. It blinded her for a second and it was enough for the demon to take advantage of that. The succubus crouched, ready to pounce, only to let out a roar when frost crept over it, trapping it in a carcass of ice.

Trinket's nose was bleeding and her clothes were torn in places. She outstretched a hand and Peeta's axe flew right past Katniss. For a second, she thought her friend had _tossed_ it but it soon became obvious that it was the witch's doing. The woman's fingers had closed around the hilt.

 _Creepy_.

Were witches on a Slayer's killing list? It felt like they ought to be.

Too late to wonder though.

The ice prison exploded, sending shards everywhere.

"Take cover!" Katniss shouted at Peeta, shooting two burning arrows while the succubus leapt, only to drop the bow and grab the cutlass right before it reached her. She rolled to the side, avoiding the claws aimed at her throat and her face.

She was aware that instead of obeying her, Peeta had rushed over to help Haymitch back to his feet, her mentor seemed to be unable to do it by himself. His shirt was torn open and there were deep gashes on his chest. Since that brought her friend away from the fight though she didn't insist and focused on the succubus instead.

She was about to attack when it roared and the already burning tail flew off, half severed from the rest of the body by the axe Trinket had stuck in it. The woman hastily stumbled back toward the wall and didn't try to get the weapon back.

Katniss didn't let the occasion pass. She darted left and then right when it tried to grab her and stuck the cutlass into the demon's neck. She dug it in until she felt bones and only let go once the succubus collapsed.

She stood there, out of breath, staring down at the unmoving _thing_ on the floor.

"Is it dead?" she asked eventually.

"Kick it. If it moves, _finish_ it." Haymitch grumbled, hopping closer. He was half-leaning on Peeta's shoulder but let go to grab the wall Trinket was propped against.

"It is dead." Trinket professed.

Katniss still kicked it.

It didn't move.

"It's dead." she confirmed.

"We need to get you to the hospital." Peeta declared and Katniss was about to protest – because this time she hadn't dislocated her shoulder or bruised her ribs or even suffered from smoke intoxication – but realized that he wasn't talking to _her_.

"I'm fine." Haymitch obviously lied.

The gashes on his chest looked deep.

"You _don't_ look fine." he snapped. "You look like someone tried to claw your heart out. How _close_ was it?"

"Tell you what, next time there is a sex demon on the loose, you can be bait." her Watcher retorted, maybe a little vexed.

"Perhaps try to find the right culprit next time." Trinket huffed. "I _truly_ expected better from you."

"Perhaps don't go ferreting in my classroom next time." Haymitch retorted. "You'd look less guilty."

Trinket glared at him but it lacked heat. She was leaning against that wall just as heavily as Haymitch was. She was pale, her forehead was clammy and her nose hadn't stopped bleeding yet.

Katniss remembered the flaming arrows and the flying axe and couldn't find it in her to have much compassion even though the woman had helped defeat the succubus. They would have managed without her and magic looked on the same frightening scale as vampires and demons to her.

"What do we do with her?" she asked. Haymitch and Peeta both contemplated the dead demon with expectancy, as if waiting for it to turn to dust. It didn't. "No." She rolled her eyes. "I meant _her_." She nodded at Trinket who suddenly looked offended.

"You are just as rude as your Watcher." the woman huffed.

Katniss' gaze darted to Haymitch, not sure if it was expected that the Art teacher knew who they were because she was a witch or…

"Are witches evil?" she insisted.

"Some are. Some are not." Trinket answered before he could. "But as I _repeatedly_ tried to make you understand, I am _not_ a witch, I _simply_ dabble in defensive magic. I never _quite_ liked being powerless."

"That wasn't _only_ defensive." Haymitch argued. Katniss discreetly reached for her knife but he shook his head no once, just as discreetly, so she dropped the idea of simply stabbing her and be done with the whole _witch_ thing. "And if you ain't a witch, who _are_ you? Cause you won't make me believe you're just an Art teacher, sweetheart. You play the axe a little too well."

Trinket stared at him with exhausted eyes. "Axes and swords were never my _forte_ unfortunately. I suppose I can handle my own with a stake and I can shoot a crossbow although nowhere near as well as your Slayer." She sighed. "I can also quote the Slayer's handbook, if that would help, you seem to be in _serious_ need of being reminded how things are supposed to be done."

"Watcher." he spat almost like an insult.

Katniss frowned. "So she's a spy after all?"

She wasn't sure why the Council of Watchers would need to spy on them but Haymitch had expressed doubts and mistrust about it and that was good enough for her.

"Why was the boy tagging along with your Slayer? The rules are very clear…" Trinket asked and then shook her head. "No matter. We should leave while we can."

"We still can't leave the dead beastie lying here." Katniss countered.

"Do you want to bet the police is going to say it was a wild animal?" Peeta snorted. "How else are they going to explain it?"

Trinket wriggled her fingers and the corpse burst into green flames. They all took a hasty step back.

"Okay, that wasn't smart." Haymitch remarked.

"Wasn't it?" Trinket whispered, looking even paler than earlier.

"You overdid it." he berated, genuine anger in his voice. "What are you trying to do? Kill yourself?"

"I saved your life three times tonight, A little more gratefulness would be appreciated." she deadpanned.

Then the light she had conjured earlier abruptly disappeared and they were left with the quickly fading magical fire for only source of light. Haymitch cursed and grabbed the woman before she could fall.

"Peeta, help me." he demanded.

The Art teacher hadn't completely fainted but she looked close enough to unconscious. She didn't even protest when Peeta picked her up.

"I wasn't done asking her questions." Katniss grumbled.

"Questions can wait until tomorrow." Haymitch decided. "She saved my life, she gets an out of jail card for tonight." He pushed himself off the wall and squeezed Katniss' shoulder. "Good job, sweetheart."

She made a face. "I wasn't quick enough to save the janitor."

"You can't save everyone." he said flatly. "Don't obsess over it or it's gonna drive you mad. You did what you could."

"I could have done better." she argued.

If she had had more training, if she had kept a cooler head, if…

He shrugged. "Then, next time, you do better."

Next time, she'd not let people die on her watch.

* * *

 _So Haymitch didn't get kicked in the groin and Effie isn't the demon after all (as many of you had guessed). What did you think of this chapter? Did you like it? Was Effie a little badass or what? Poor Katniss thought she had lost her mentor... Is Peeta a useful sidekick? Will Haymitch eventually manage to kick a demon's ass or is his reputation overrated? Are you looking forward to the discussion between Effie and Haymitch?_

 _Let me know your thoughts!_


	14. E2: The Art Of Stealing Hearts (6)

6.

* * *

The hotel door opened on his third knock.

Haymitch looked at the woman up and down, not quite impressed by what he saw. She still looked pale and not quite steady on her feet. Magical hangovers did that to a person, he supposed. It didn't stop her from looking hot though and that was a problem because it wouldn't help him _not_ remember the heated exchange in his classroom. The short pink skirt and the striped black and purple blouse with its big collar was a little ridiculous but he had the feeling it also cost more than his house. It also showed off her legs.

"So what was the plan?" he mocked. "Blending in by not wearing the tweed uniform?"

All the people at the Watcher academy used to wear tweed. Not that he had stayed there for very long. Not his scene at all.

She pursed her lips with obvious displeasure but stepped aside to let him in. It was the first time he entered _The Capitol'_ s penthouse and he looked around curiously. It was all see-through furniture and expensive appliance…

"As far as spies go, you're lousy." he continued. "Figured your game out the moment I met you."

"And yet there you went thinking I was a succubus." she deadpanned. "Imagine that."

He shot her an amused look, unable to suppress his smirk. He didn't need to say that maybe he wouldn't have mistaken her for a sex demon if she hadn't looked so _fucking_ hot. First because it was too much of a compliment and then because it was probably written all over his face.

She looked a little amused herself.

"I do not know if I should be flattered or offended, to be honest." she added, gesturing at him to take a seat. The living-room part of the suit was nice enough if a little impersonal – but then again _The Capitol_ was a hotel, he wasn't expecting _personality_ – there were two white leather couches, a big flat tv screen and bay windows that offered an open view of the meadow.

He didn't take a seat. He placed his helmet on a small table, almost knocking off a vase, and slowly made his way to the liquor cart in the corner. He poured himself a drink without asking first or waiting for her to offer – and given her obsession for manners, she would probably have offered anyway but it was all about taking the upper hand here. Establishing who was in charge. The hotel had the good stuff, he decided when he inspected the bottle of whiskey, that wouldn't hurt.

"Why, _please_ , make yourself at home." she huffed. "Your rudeness knows _no_ bound."

"Bold of you to settle here." he commented, bringing his glass of whiskey to the window. He stood there and surveyed the meadow, his grey eyes eventually stopping on the dark silhouette of the burned tree in the distance. "You _do_ know there's a Hellmouth in your backyard, yeah?"

"I thought it might be useful to keep a close eye on it." she sighed. "And I did not know if I would be staying long enough to make the hassle of searching for a house worth it."

"Thought it was me you were keeping a close eye on?" he challenged, turning back to face her. "Or is it my Slayer that the Council's spying on? Always hard to keep track with them."

She took a seat on the armrest of the couch. It made her skirt ride higher and he wasn't sure it was entirely accidental. She was distracting and he had a feeling she knew how to turn that to her advantage.

"I was not sent here to _spy_." she argued. "I was sent here to _observe."_

"Potayto. Potahto." he taunted. "You got scolded for getting caught?"

"President Coin was not pleased." she admitted and _she_ didn't sound pleased either.

"I bet." he snorted, taking a sip of whiskey. "That woman's a _bitch_."

"Mind your language, would you?" she chided, lips pursed. "We came to the agreement that sooner or later I would have _had_ to reveal myself to you, either way. She certainly would have liked me to… _observe_ a little more but…"

"What do you want?" he snapped. "Cause I didn't ask to be called to play Watcher again. Coin contacted me. She _dragged_ me back. Every _fucking_ time she drags me back. So now what? You're worried I won't do my job right?"

She looked a little hesitant and lowered her eyes.

"There were concerns." she confessed. "There are a lot of… _rumors_ about your fondness for liquor and you _did_ send a few letters of resignation before…"

"They were ignored every time." he pointed out.

"Because you are _the best_." she retorted, looking back up and straight at him. She held his eyes for a moment. Tension built in the room. Mostly because she sounded genuine and he was torn between accepting a recognition that was his due and his personal disillusion about the whole thing. The Council's approval meant nothing. It was corrupted and was only interested in its Slayers so far as they were obedient. He had learned that the hard way.

"Careful, sweetheart…" he said slowly, taking another sip of his whiskey. "I'm gonna start thinking you have a crush on me or something…"

She barely batted an eyelash.

"You are a _legend_ for the rest of us, Haymitch, like it or not." she retorted. "One of the youngest Watcher _ever_ appointed to a Slayer… Your girls vanquished some of the oldest demons and that is without mentioning _your_ _own_ past exploits… You have one of the _highest_ surviving rate when it comes to Slayers…"

"Tell that to Annie Cresta." he spat, turning his back on her.

The sun was setting over the woods, bathing the meadow in reddish hues. His eyes went back to the tree in the distance again. He hated that tree. He hated that meadow. He hated _The_ _Capitol_. He hated the fact that his Slayers always died.

"The Cresta situation was unfortunate." she admitted. "Nevertheless…"

"Why did the Council ship me here if they have concerns?" he cut her off. "Coin knew I was a drunk way before Katniss was even called."

There was a long silence behind him. He wasn't sure if she was trying to figure out what to say and what to hold out – because he was _certain_ the Council was sitting on some information – or if she was thinking about _how_ to deliver the information he probably didn't want to hear.

"Because three Slayers have been called in The Seam before Katniss and you were involved with the three of them." she finally answered. "Because you know the town and a Watcher's duties _better_ than anyone. And because…" There was a franc note of hesitation, then. "There is _no_ easy way to say this, Haymitch."

"Cut the flattery crap and get to the point, then." he advised, leaning a hand against the glass.

He already knew what she was going to say, of course. Cashmere had hinted at it and there was this feeling of dread in his guts, a feeling that had never gone away in twenty years.

"The vampire you were trying to identify… Cashmere." Trinket said. "She is part of a group of four vampires who call themselves the Careers. They are old. Roman empire old. They used to be gladiators."

"Never heard of them before." he commented. He was a little surprised

"You wouldn't have. They have been diligent in avoiding dealings with Slayers or the Council. They broke ties around fifty years ago, around the time Snow started getting obsessed with Slayers, and flew under the radar until they reformed a decade or so ago." she explained. "They are… highly dangerous."

"We killed Cashmere." he pointed out. But if the vampire had really been _that_ old, they had been _lucky_. No wonder he hadn't found any clue in the Watcher journals though… He hadn't been looking far enough.

"And that is very commendable, however that leaves you with Cashmere's brother and two other dangerous vampires who will probably want revenge." she replied. "There is something else. They were sired…"

"By Snow." he finished for her, tired of beating around the bush. It wasn't a huge leap to make. Roman empire… That was when Snow had been at the apex of his power and he had always had a thing for gladiators. Arenas, deadly games… That had been his trademark. "And they want to free him from the hell dimension he's trapped in."

"You will understand why the Council is concerned. You are the expert on Snow but President Coin is also aware of _just_ how personal it could become for you. It is common knowledge you would have preferred the vampire slain instead of merely imprisoned." she added. Then her voice softened. "I am sorry."

"Why?" he snorted. "'Cause they need me but don't trust me or cause someone wants to release the demon who destroyed my life?" It wasn't a real question and he didn't leave her time to answer it. "So what happens now? You become Katniss' Watcher and I become a consultant?"

That might be fun to watch. Mostly because Katniss would snort a big fat _no_ if she didn't kick her ass first. He had spent half the day trying to convince her that witches weren't evil unless they started killing people or unleashing demons upon the world – which he was relatively confident Trinket wouldn't do. She was more Glinda than Baba-Yaga.

"I am to continue observing and to lend my expertise if needed." she offered.

He turned to face her, a little surprised. "Why?"

"Because, believe it or not, I completed my Watcher training and passed with flying colors." she deadpanned. "I have _outstanding_ managing skills and I _excel_ at research. And this _without_ mentioning my dabbling in defensive magic. I can be useful to you and your Slayer."

He was certain she had misunderstood the question on purpose and he wasn't going to let her get off the hook so easily.

"Why didn't you tell Coin you'd do a better job at being a Watcher than me?" he insisted. Knowing Alma, he was pretty sure that she must have asked Trinket's opinion on the matter.

She studied him for a long time, her hands clasped in her lap like an exemplary little girl, her legs crossed at the ankles.

"I told you. You are a _legend_ for the rest of us." she answered eventually if a little too flatly. "I look forward to working with you." He opened his mouth to order her to cut the crap once more but she was quicker than he was and her voice was softer. "Mags told me a lot about you."

His heartbeat increased a little. "Mags."

"She taught one of my classes at the academy." she explained. "We remained friends."

"Did she send you here?" he asked. He finally walked away from the window to take a seat on the couch opposite hers.

That was something Mags would have done. Not challenge the Council outright but remain one move ahead. Control the chessboard, let the opponent think they had the upper hand…

"I honestly do not know." Trinket offered. "There were other people with more seniority and more experience who would have been more suitable to the task and I never go the feeling President Coin particularly liked me so I was the first surprised to be appointed for this mission…"

It _could_ be Mags. That was something she might do… Knowing someone would be sent to spy on him either way… She would insist to place someone who was loyal to her. To help him. To protect him. Was that stroke even really a stroke? Had she upset the power in place too much? Coin didn't like her authority to be threatened…

Did she know she was in danger? Was _he_ in danger? Power play inside the Council had never been his scene. He preferred to stay as far away from that snakes pit as he could be…

If she _had_ sent Trinket though…

"I _am_ an ambitious person, Haymitch, and I make _no_ apologies for it, make no mistake. I would love to get assigned a Slayer and, after seeing her fight, I believe that with some discipline, Katniss will be a _great_ Slayer…" the woman declared before he could get it into his head that she was entirely disinterested. "It would have been a honor to be her Watcher."

"You could have had her." he pointed out. "All you had to do was tell Coin I wasn't up to do the job."

She swallowed hard and averted her eyes. "The last time I saw her, a couple of weeks ago, Mags said… She said that you were a good man and that you would need _help_ soon and I find… I find I _am_ willing to help if you are agreeable." She glanced at him and away again, embarrassment flushing on her face. "You will think it flattery again but I _do_ admire your work." She paused for a second and then she was smiling one of those polite distant smiles again. "Of course, I was disappointed to find you are rude, a little too sarcastic for my taste and not as handsome as they say but legends often do _not_ hold to reality... This being said, it would be a _privilege_ to work with you. I am _certain_ I would learn a lot and, who knows, I might even teach you a few new tricks too."

That formulation of new tricks she might teach him had his mind crashing straight into the gutter. The way she used her tongue in a kiss…

He pressed the rim of his glass against his mouth, studying her just as intensely as she was studying him. "Not as handsome as they say?"

When she looked at him, this time, her eyes were sparkling with amusement. "Well, I would not have mistaken _you_ for a sex demon. Tell me, has no one _ever_ introduced you to a razor before? I am surprised they would let you teach into a school when you look like a hobo. _Shabby_ simply _isn't_ in style."

"Didn't hear you complain when you were sitting on my desk, _Princess_." he countered.

"We are _never_ talking about that again." she informed him haughtily. She stood up and crossed the room to the liquor cart to pour herself a glass of wine. "You jumped on me. _How inappropriate_. You should consider yourself lucky I did not simply _knee_ you. It would have been deserved."

She clucked her tongue as if she was scolding an unrepentant kid.

"I was trying to get you to turn into a demon. What's _your_ excuse?" he chuckled. "You know… Seeing as I'm not as handsome as they say."

"A _small_ case of hero worship that vanished _as soon_ as I met you." She grinned and came back to sit on the opposite couch. She smoothed creases off her skirt with her free hand. "What will it be, then? Are we to be friends or enemies?"

He took another mouthful of whiskey just to delay his answer and then slouched a little against the back of the couch. He studied her. The way she moved, the way she held herself, the way she kept doing a visual sweep of her surroundings as if looking for a threat…"You were a Potential."

He wasn't _entirely_ sure. He _was_ certain that there was no Watcher family named Trinket and the job tended to be inherited regardless of personal ambitions. To each their legacies. It wasn't entirely unheard of for a former Potential to be hired by the Council as a freelance agent or, if they were more scholar than demon hunter, trained as a Watcher, though. Assuming they had a Watcher willing to vouch for them.

A lot of resources were devoted to finding potential Slayers. It involved magic, astrology, far too many spells, deals with oracles and various minor demons… An entire department of the Council was devoted to it and they still didn't always get it right. Haymitch had always found it a little stupid, mainly because fate wasn't something that could entirely be predicted. So sure, once in a while, a girl was called and that girl was a Potential so she was more equipped than most to deal with the burden… But for one Potential who turned into the Slayer, there were dozens of others from the same generation left without nothing. They were taken away from their family to be handed to people who often lacked the parental strike and who trained them to be soldiers and little else, some as young as babies. And there were expectations, of course. A Potential who was called was the Council's champion. A rogue, like Katniss and each of Haymitch's Slayers, never really _belonged_ – which suited him just fine because _he_ had never really belonged to the Council either. He was the American anomaly to their world empire of tweed and tea.

"That's personal." she snapped.

And that was an answer in itself, wasn't it?

"How much do _you_ know about _my_ life?" he snorted.

It was a rhetorical question.

All the Watchers knew every little detail of his personal tragedies. They were public knowledge. They were written black on white in seven separate Watcher journals.

She took a sip of her white wine with composed grace. She was used to having her every move watched and scrutinized, he decided, but she didn't have the sharpened edge of a seasoned warrior. She couldn't have been a very promising Potential. She lacked the taste for violence. He wouldn't have said she was _soft_ but…

"If Maysilee Donner hadn't been called, I might have been." she offered. "Perhaps you would have been my Watcher, then."

That would have been a nice disaster in the making.

And improbable. The only reason they had sent him back to the Seam to mentor Maysilee was because he knew the town and he knew Snow. He had just finished passing their useless exams when he had been appointed the first time. By Coin herself.

"You'd be very dead by now." he pointed out.

And without Maysilee, who knew if Snow would even have been stopped? Fate was a bitch and he had no faith in it half the time but… Sometimes it got things _right_.

He tried to imagine a teenage Effie Trinket battling the worst evil the Earth had ever known and he couldn't picture it. When he tried, all he could see was a blond doll with a delicious pout and a lack of talent to handle a stake. He hadn't been attracted to Maysilee despite their small age difference and he had still been grieving Mabel at the time. Given how much she affected him, he wasn't sure he would have had the same restrain with Trinket.

What a mess it would have been…

"Don't be sorry it wasn't you." he spat, a little bitterly.

"It would have been an _honor_ to be called." she retorted a little too aggressively. She washed that out with a mouthful of wine and flashed him a bright cheerful smile that was in total contrast with the anger she had just displayed. "Being the Slayer is a _sacred_ duty."

There was bitterness and anger in her voice but no regret. Maybe she wasn't as stupid as she looked.

"Being called is a curse, not a gift." he objected, sounding exhausted to his own ears. "So… How do you get from being Potential to being a Watcher witch?"

"I am _not_ a witch." She gritted her teeth but kept on smiling. "And I would _appreciate_ it if you would not mention the display from yesterday to anyone."

"Ah…" He smirked. "They don't know you're _that_ powerful… Explains it. Never heard of a woman Watcher with real magical powers before… They usually ship those to wiccan covens… Ever noticed men don't get the same treatment ? Though the Watcher club doesn't really like parity, yeah?"

"You are a man." she pointed out.

He shrugged. "I'm an American, that's worse in their book."

She pursed her lips and tilted her head but she was fighting a smile, as if she wasn't sure if she was annoyed with him or amused. After a second, she offered an explanation. "My mother practices. I only inherited _a fragment_ of her power, I _really_ am not as powerful as you seem to think."

He wasn't sure if she was playing at being modest or if she really wasn't that confident in her own power. What he had seen when they had been fighting that succubus told him she had a lot of potential to grow though.

"Doesn't answer my question." he reminded her, finishing his glass of whiskey. "How do you go from Potential to Watchet? Why not become a freelance demon hunter?"

It must have reminded her she was still holding her glass of wine because she drank some more and then placed it down on the glass coffee table.

"Suffice for you to know I was never really good at physical encounters." she told him.

"Doubt _that_." he mocked.

She narrowed her eyes and shot him an irritated glare but left the double meaning unaddressed. "I would have made a pitiful Slayer. I have the training but I never really developed a talent for handling weapons. Magic comes more naturally to me." She stood up and he stared at her with lifted eyebrows, his lips stretching into a smirk that she answered by pursing her lips and placing her hands on her hips. "I am sure you are anxious to get back to your Slayer…"

Which was a polite way to say he had overstayed his welcome.

"I gave her the night off." he answered.

He was half-tempted to remain right where he was just to see how much he could push her but there had been enough information for the night. His head was aching with them. He stood up too, a little slowly because the wounds on his chest bothered him, and reached for the helmet he had placed on one of the small tables.

He tapped his fingers on it twice without picking it up.

"Finnick ain't calling me back." he said casually.

"The doctors are very optimistic as far as I know." she offered, her voice softening again. Mags had that effect on people. "As for Finnick… I believe he is angry with you."

"Thought he had cut ties with the Council." he remarked.

"With the Council, yes. With Mags, never. And we are good enough friends. I tutored him when he was still at the academy." she sighed. "If I learn anything more about her condition, I will let you know."

"Thanks." he nodded.

He didn't look at her.

He didn't want to look at her.

He hated the idea of being as vulnerable as he felt right then in front of anyone. Mags was special, always had been, always would be.

"She said your mother was the best Slayer she ever trained." she whispered, a little sadly.

Had she read the journal Mags had kept about Iris Abernathy? Probably. _Certainly_. His whole childhood recorded for public consumption.

His mother had been a _hero,_ that much he had _always_ known.

And he barely remembered her. He had been five when she had died. All he had left were hazy memories he wasn't sure he hadn't invented.

Mags could have dropped him and his baby brother off to the closest orphanage after her death but she had kept them, she had _raised_ them. She had made him his heir, brought him into the Watcher business, given him a purpose when he had floated adrift… He owed her for that. He _loved_ her for that.

"Allies." he said in the resulting silence, answering the question she had asked half an hour ago. "For now."

Not friends.

Not enemies.

 _Allies_ , though, he could try. Just in case she was Mags' latest attempt at watching over him.

It didn't mean he had to like it and it certainly didn't mean he had to like _her_ but he could test the water.

* * *

 _There will be a last chapter for this epilogue next week! We learned a lot to day... What did you think?_


	15. E2: The Art Of Stealing Hearts (7)

7.

* * *

Katniss was staring and Peeta wasn't sure what he had done wrong to warrant the intensity in her grey eyes. It was almost a glare.

He didn't confront her until Prim had offered to go with Madge fetch the snacks in the kitchen and they were left alone in the living-room though. The movie night had been planned a little at the last minute but it had all the promise of a good time. Madge hadn't lied when she had said the Undersees had a big TV screen. It was flat, high definition and it had a home entertainment center.

"No patrol tonight?" he asked, making sure to keep his voice low even though, from what he could tell, the house was huge and the kitchen was far from the living-room. He didn't want Madge to accidentally overhear and he wasn't sure how much Prim knew about Katniss' activities. He knew she had explained everything to her sister but he also supposed _everything_ didn't include… _everything_.

"Haymitch wanted to talk to Trinket." Katniss shrugged. She looked a little ill-at-ease, maybe because the house felt so… _wealthy_. It was clearly lived-in, not like one of those expensive homes you didn't feel comfortable even _sitting_ for fear of breaking something, but the furniture and the devices were expensive. "I'll do a short sweep on my way home. You can drive Prim back, yeah?"

He was torn between feeling honored she would trust him to get her sister home safely and worried she would be out there on her own. Haymitch usually went with her as back-up, he knew.

"Maybe Gale can drive her back and I can go with you." he suggested in a cautious tone. He wasn't really pleased Gale had been invited but he _could_ be civil. He could learn to share. He _must_ learn to share because she wasn't his girlfriend and, even if she were, it shouldn't have to mean she ought to stop being friends with the guy who had had her back for years. Even if that guy was so obviously in love with her it made him worry she would wake up one day and realize she was too.

Her face closed and she turned away from him. "Maybe."

There was a table so polished it was gleaming under the soft lights of the lamps in a corner, its surface was covered with various framed pictures. She headed there and started picking up one after the other, inspecting them without looking.

If he hadn't known better he would have thought she was nervous. About Gale's presence? He knew she missed spending time with him. He knew she was…

"Can I ask you something?"

They said it at the very same time and shared an amused smile that went a long way into diffusing the sudden tension.

"Sure. Go ahead." he offered, sitting down on the armrest of the couch. He tried not to be too obvious when he checked her out but she didn't often wear jeans _that_ tight and it was distracting. It was probably a good thing that succubus was dead because under its influence his thoughts would probably have been much, _much_ worse. The red sweater also looked good on her, it reminded him of fire. That was Haymitch's nickname for her when he wanted to annoy her: _Girl on fire._

She made a face. "Do you like Madge?"

That wasn't the question he had been expecting. He had thought she would ask about Trinket or something related to Prim or…

"I like Madge." he answered slowly, with a frown. "As a friend."

She nervously brushed a strand of hair back behind her ear, nodded and then started inspecting the pictures again. "What did you want to ask me?"

"Why do you want to know if I like Madge?" he retorted, still frowning.

"Because it would make everything more complicated." she muttered. "That's not what you were going to ask."

He wasn't sure what he had been about to ask anymore. He _was_ sure, however, that he would have worded it a lot more diplomatically than how it actually came out. "Do you like Gale?"

She didn't look up. "He's my best friend."

It wasn't entirely an answer, it was a deflection. He wasn't sure he wanted to call her out on it though. He wasn't sure _anything good_ would come out if he brought up the dancing elephant that were his own feelings to her attention.

"Does Madge have a sister?" she suddenly asked, taking a closer look at one of the pictures.

"What? No? I don't think so…" He joined her in front of the console table and peered at the picture she was holding. He was maybe standing a little too close to her, close enough to smell the particular scent of pine trees that always seemed to cling to her, but if she noticed she didn't protest.

"They look like twins…" she pointed out.

And she wasn't wrong.

On the picture, Madge was standing elbow hooped around a girl who was almost identical to her.

"Strange." he commented.

The doorbell rang just as Prim was coming back into the room her arms loaded with snacks, he heard the rumble of voices, Madge's laugh and Gale's lower pitch telling her he had brought strawberries in a slightly embarrassed tone. He waited for Katniss to place the picture down but she didn't seem to have noticed any of that.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

She was so focused on the picture, even Prim shot her an odd look.

"Katniss?" her sister worried.

She didn't answer, she simply brushed her fingers on the bird pin she was wearing on her sweater. The same bird pin Madge was wearing on the picture.

"I don't want to be pessimistic but mysterious twins on the hellmouth… It can't be good." he whispered to her just as Madge was coming back into the living-room, Gale in tow.

Gale, who didn't look thrilled to see the two of them standing so close together.

"Sorry." Peeta told Madge. "We didn't mean to pry. We just…"

"You have a twin?" Katniss asked with _zero_ tact.

Madge froze for a second and then shook her head. "That's not me, that's my aunt. Mom says I look exactly like her…"

Peeta did a double take between her and the picture. Now that he had her in front of him, he could see the differences but they were indeed very small. She could have passed for a perfect copy. He didn't want to think it was creepy because it was hardly Madge's fault if she looked so much like her aunt but… it was a little weird. And Katniss' apparent fascination for the picture was even weirder.

"How did she died?" Katniss enquired. "You said she died but you didn't say how?"

"Damn, Catnip, light it up a notch?" Gale scowled, reaching to squeeze Madge's shoulder. "Everyone isn't as cold about death as you are."

The following silence was both tensed and hurt.

"I don't mind…" Madge winced, after clearing her throat. "She was attacked by a wild animal. She was only eighteen. My mother never really recovered. I wasn't even born yet."

A wild animal attack was the police's favorite way of explaining vampires bites, he had noticed.

"I'm so sorry." Prim said, reaching out for her hand.

Peeta wanted to offer his sympathies too but Madge was already surrounded by Gale and Prim and moving would have meant leaving Katniss alone on her side of the room. It didn't seem… _right_.

Katniss slowly placed the picture down.

"I'm not cold about death." she replied, a bit frosty.

Gale did look a little sorry for having said that but he didn't apologize and the tension wasn't going away. Peeta cleared his throat and purposefully strode to the pile of DVDs they had selected earlier. "So, what are we watching first?"

All in all, they had a good time.

He and Gale made an extra effort to be civil because Madge looked nervous to play host. Prim patiently calmed the situation down every time Gale and Katniss started exchanging cutting remarks. Madge kept them so well supplied in snacks Peeta thought his stomach might burst from all the food he had eaten – and those strawberries Gale had brought _were_ good. As for Katniss, she brooded most of the night and made them all shake their heads every time she missed the glaring point in a movie. It amused them all but by the time they all were ready to call it a night, she looked a little frustrated.

Peeta suspected she was secretly glad to be able to go fight a few monsters before bed.

"I don't understand." Gale cringed when she asked him to walk Prim back home. "Why aren't you coming with us?"

Peeta was pretending really hard not to listen to the conversation even though they weren't being really discreet. They had left Madge's house and were walking down the street in the direction of Peeta's car. Gale and Katniss were walking a few feet in front of Prim and him. He was debating the merit of franchise reboots with a twelve year-old who was far too smart for her age and he _wasn't_ listening.

"I have something to do." Katniss replied. "Peeta'll drop me off."

"He drops you off and then what?" Gale retorted. "You walk back home by yourself in the middle of the night? Forget it. It's _dangerous_. There's a serial killer on the loose. Didn't you hear about the janitor? Who knows who the next victim will be."

Katniss glanced at him over her shoulder and Peeta flashed her a small encouraging smile while keeping his end of the conversation. Because he was talking with Prim and _not_ listening.

There wouldn't be any more victims, at least not because of that particular monster and he felt proud to have been a part of that. Even if his contribution had mostly amounted to reading books and carrying an axe.

"Look…" she sighed, sounding deeply aggravated.

"Is he your boyfriend?" Gale cut her off. "Is that it? Are you two going out?"

Prim was watching him with twinkling eyes and a very amused smile. She kept her voice low so the other two wouldn't hear but the teasing was unmistakable. " _Are_ you her boyfriend?"

"No." he said firmly.

"What? No!" Katniss answered at the same time and, maybe, it would have been nicer if she hadn't been so emphatic about it.

"How about I drop Gale and Prim at the trailer park and then we go do the… thing?" he suggested, louder, because he had a feeling they would still be standing there in the morning if Gale and Katniss were left to butt heads. " _And_ …" he added when the other boy opened his mouth. "I will, of course, drive her back home when she's done with the… thing."

And they said _Katniss_ was a terrible liar.

Prim shook her head at him but declared that idea was the best and she climbed in the SUV he had just unlocked.

Gale really wasn't happy with his idea though. "It's almost midnight. What's so important that can't wait until tomorrow?"

"Are you coming or not?" Katniss snapped, already climbing on the passenger seat. Peeta was relieved she was claiming shotgun. He wasn't sure he would have fared well if he had been forced to sit next to Gale for a long fifteen minutes ride given the current tension.

It soon appeared however that Gale wasn't, in fact, coming. He scowled and stormed away on foot to make a point.

Katniss glared at his retreating back and slammed her door shut to make a point of her own.

The silence, once they were all in the car, was almost suffocating and he was almost relieved when Prim broke it. "Why don't you tell him the truth?"

"It's against the rules, Prim. I explained." Katniss immediately answered, as if she had _just_ been pondering that very question.

"Yeah, but I know and Peeta knows…" her sister argued. "What's one more person?"

 _What's one more person?_

The question seemed to echo in the car all the rest of the ride.

He remained in the SUV while Katniss escorted her sister home and checked on their mother. She shot him a curious look when she climbed back up but he didn't say anything.

He didn't say anything right up until they were walking between two rows of graves, with the starry sky over their heads and the dead under their feet.

"If you tell Gale…" he started.

"If I tell Gale, Haymitch is going to have my hide." she grumbled.

He ignored her interruption because they both knew the threat of Haymitch's anger wasn't enough to stop her if she wanted to do something.

"Can I still be your sidekick?" he insisted. He tried to make it sound like a joke, as if he was far less insecure about her reluctant friendship than he actually was.

"Why do you ask as if I have to choose?" she retorted angrily. "Why can't we _all_ be friends?"

He suspected a part of her knew why but he didn't push. She never reacted well when pushed.

A vampire provided the perfect distraction by crawling out of a freshly dug grave. Katniss dusted him before he was even standing up. She didn't look entirely pleased by the easiness of the kill.

Peeta buried his hands in the pockets of his jacket and they kept on walking. He had a stake wedged in his belt but he knew he probably wouldn't need to use it. Not with Katniss there so determined to keep them safe.

"Why were you so fascinated with Madge's aunt?" he asked, to distract himself from all Gale related thoughts.

It wasn't all about petty jealousy, about his feelings for her… It felt like he had found a place he could belong with her and Haymitch, an odd family of sort and… Losing _that_? He wasn't sure he could handle it. And he knew that Gale would take it away from him. Not because the other boy was cruel – how could he even know what Haymitch and Katniss had come to mean to him? – but because Gale was exclusive when it came to Katniss in a way _he_ could learn not to be.

She frowned. "I'm not sure. There was just something _familiar_ about her… Like I knew her. Not just because she looked like Madge, I mean." She brushed her fingers on the bird pin again and then shook her head. "It doesn't matter, I guess."

Three vampires tried to ambush them a few feet away, next to the half-broken statue of a cherub. Katniss jumped in the fray without a second-thought, feet and hands flying, stake plunging down without remorse…

The third one turned to him and Peeta felt a thrill… There was no time to think when the vampire rushed on him, simply react. Being the captain of the wrestling team helped. He knew how to fight. He knew how to fight honorably and he also knew how to fight dirty.

By the time Katniss had dispatched her two vampires, he had the third one pinned under him and he was slamming the stake down. He looked up at Katniss with a smile, waiting for the man to burst into a cloud of dust… Instead, the vampire sent him flying and stood back up, the stake still sticking out of his chest…

Peeta rolled in the dirt, the air sucked out of his lungs…

"Missed the heart." the vampire mocked, advancing on him.

Then, he turned into dust for real.

Peeta's stake fell on the ground and Katniss emerged through the cloud of lingering particles. She held out a hand for him to take.

"I missed the heart a few times too at first." she said awkwardly, as if to comfort him.

He wasn't sure if she was trying to make him feel better or if it was true. Either way, he grabbed her hand and let her haul him back to his feet, vowing that he would do better next time. He picked up his stake and they looped around toward his car, following the cemetery's high stone wall.

"Is Miss Trinket part of the team now?" he asked at some point. He wasn't sure he had understood the whole Council spy thing. "I mean… Is she staying?"

"I don't know. I hope not." Katniss made a face. "We don't need another Watcher."

They might need a witch, though. But he didn't say that because Katniss had been very ambivalent about the magic thing. On one hand, she seemed to have liked the bow shooting flaming arrows but on the other hand, the whole thing had freaked her out more than vampires or demons had.

Peeta had thought the whole display to be pretty cool.

"I thought the Council were the good guys…" he insisted.

"I don't know, Peeta." she repeated, a little impatiently. "Haymitch doesn't really trust them, I guess."

"But he's part of them, isn't he?" he pointed out. "It doesn't make sense."

"He doesn't talk about his past much." She shrugged. "I got the feeling there was bad blood between them."

Haymitch didn't simply _not_ talk about his past, he was _closed off_ about it. He would talk about his years of freelance demon hunter in between Slayers sometimes but it was more technical anecdotes than personal recollection.

Katniss seemed to be mulling something over but it was only when they were within reach of the cemetery gates that she spit it out. "I think his mother was a Slayer."

That stopped Peeta dead in his tracks. "What? Why?"

She awkwardly shrugged again. "Some things he said. A feeling."

"But you guys are called _young_ …" he argued, his mind railing with the implications. "That means she would have been…"

"Very young when she had him, yeah." she agreed. "And he had a brother, so… I'm not sure how this works out. Maybe I'm wrong…"

She didn't think she was wrong though, he could tell.

"That's… rough." he commented, after letting the knowledge sink in. "He must still have been a kid when she died…"

The number of people Haymitch had lost in his life though… He hadn't really given a specified amount but there was at least five Slayers and he always kept insisting death was inevitable… It was no wonder he was bitter.

"I don't want Trinket to be my Watcher." Katniss declared firmly, as if it was a serious possibility. Was it? Maybe Haymitch thought so. "I'm keeping Haymitch. If the Council has a problem with that, they can _fuck_ off."

"I'm with you." he promised, as if the opposite was even an option. "Team Haymitch."

Still, the smile she rewarded him with was worth it.

* * *

 **End of Episode 2**

* * *

 _And this is the end of episode 2! I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know your thoughts!_

 _Episode 3 will start in two weeks! I hope to see you then!_


	16. E3: Outsiders (1)

_Onward we go with Episode 3! I hope you enjoy it!_

* * *

 **Outsiders**

* * *

 **1.**

* * *

When she was on the phone with her mother, Effie Trinket could never sit still.

It had to do with the fact Elindra Trinket disapproved of _most_ of what her daughter did and had _very_ little interest for the rest. Currently, Effie was walking around the living-room of _The Capitol'_ s penthouseand berating herself for not remembering that before taking the decision to call her mother.

She wasn't close with her mother, she had never been, even before Caesar Flickerman had rung the doorbell one morning to rip her away from her glamorous life in LA to bring her to cold and rainy England where she had been forced to give up school to learn about stakes, blades and crossbows. Not altogether her favorite subjects.

She had been thirteen when her parents had been told she might become a Slayer, late by Council standards since most of the Potentials were located as infants, and neither her father – who tended to delegate to Elindra every decision that concerned their two daughters – nor her mother – who had been far too relieved that the Council wasn't there because of her own magical activities – had opposed her going.

She had been angry with them for a long time about that and she had made her Watcher's life a living hell as a consequence – Slayer training _wasn't_ compatible with one's manicure and Effie had always had her priorities straight: between killing a vampire and protecting her nails, she would protect her nails. She knew how to fight, she had been trained for it, but she had always disliked the physical aspect of it. She disliked the violence of having to slam a stake into a vampire's chest, she disliked the blood and grime that came with chopping off a demon's head, she disliked the looming certainty that death was around the corner… At thirteen, she had loved sunshine, ice cream and slumber parties. England had proved lacking on the three accounts.

In the end, she hadn't become a Slayer and she had disappointed Caesar.

She still remembered perfectly the night he had gotten the phone call about the rogue Slayer that had activated on the Seam's Hellmouth. _Maysilee Donner._ Sixteen, the very same age as her… She remembered perfectly the way Caesar's face had fallen in disappointment before it had morphed into plain relief. She had never asked why he would be relieved to miss the opportunity of a lifetime – every Watcher wanted to have an active Slayer and go down in history – because she knew. She would never have survived more than a few months and Caesar knew that as well as she did. She had spent the three following years wishing Maysilee would survive long enough that her own calling would be unlikely.

In the end, she had become a Watcher, to make Caesar proud in the only way she could, and she had disappointed her mother too.

In truth, her mother hadn't needed much more incentives to be disappointed. Her meager magical talents had seen to that. Elindra came from a very long line of witches and while she had forgiven Effie's sister's lack of skills due to the fact she had married well, Effie's lack of _everything_ that was important to Elindra was a sore point.

" _Of course_ , there is electricity, mother." she sighed to the ridiculous question. "This is rural America, not the Middle Ages."

She headed to the small table in the corner, ashes threatening to fall from the end of her cigarette. Where had the ashtray gone now?

" _Well, excuse me for asking, Euphemia."_ her mother mocked. _"You do seem to like settling down in the most unfashionable places."_

"Was I ever given a choice?" she retorted.

" _Attitude."_ Elindra chided. _"I never forced you to join those_ dreadful _watchmen. You should have come home and marry a nice young man like your sister did. Put an end to this foolishness."_

God forbid she had a little more _ambition_ than _that_.

Once it had been too late for her to be called, at eighteen, she had found herself without prospects but eager to leave Caesar's house. Potentials traditionally either became Council's operatives or left that life altogether. It was very obvious to both her and her Watcher that she was not made to be a soldier. She had briefly entertained the thought of becoming a model, to leave behind the darkness and the glum of the occult that had followed her most of her life and to embrace the softness and the warm colors of _fashion_ – the only god her eighteen year-old self had recognized and worshipped.

She had probably been the only Potential in Council history who insisted on wearing _heels_ to patrol cemeteries.

Those dreams had only lasted a few months, long enough to realize that Los Angeles was full of younger and more beautiful girls and to remember that living with her parents meant being exposed to her mother's recurrent remarks about how disappointing it was that she lacked magical talents and that the line of Trinket witches would die with _her_ or that she should mind her weight because she would never find a husband if she grew fat. She might have persevered in the fashion world, become an actress maybe, if it hadn't been so _glaring_ that the best she would ever achieved in LA was to become a waitress – well, she _could_ have lived on her parents' money but that made her feel even worse, _indebted_ in a way she wasn't comfortable being given her mother's clear penchant toward black magic. Black witches had peculiar ideas about debts.

She had gone back to England because when she had stopped and taken a good hard look at her life, she had realized it was the only real home she had ever known. So she had gone back, back to Caesar and the darkness she never had any hope of vanquishing because she had not been special enough to become the Slayer. He had welcomed her with his usual smile and twinkling eyes and he had negotiated to have her enrolled in the Watcher academy. Since she had never liked _not_ excelling at something – slaying notwithstanding – she had ended up top of her class. She _would_ have been the best Watcher out there if the Council hadn't been so rooted in traditions and favored the old Watcher families rather than talent. She might make them forget through her perfect manners sometimes but she wasn't British by birth and she did not have a ladyship, two things that were required to climb the Council of Watchers' ladder.

It was one of the reasons she had been so surprised to be sent to the Seam in the first place. It wasn't the first time the Council shipped her off to observe a particular situation and, in some cases, asked her to see what she could do about it, but it _was_ the first time she was assigned a mission of _that_ importance. Anything that related to the Slayer was important. And the fact that Caesar refused to explain why _she_ had been picked was even more puzzling.

" _How is it going anyway? You are_ awfully _close-lipped."_ Elindra hummed curiously _. "How is this new Slayer?"_

"Unlikely to take a plane to L.A. only to put an end to your business, Mother." she deadpanned.

Sometimes, she thought the only reason Elindra bothered keeping in touch was because of Effie's connections. She didn't know with one hundred percent certainty what her mother was really doing and she suspected she didn't want to know. Elindra wasn't one of the good witches, she used her magic for her own benefits or against astronomical fees.

She worked hard to remain off the Council's radar.

" _Oh, how terrible you make me sound."_ her mother huffed. _"Can't I be worried about how my youngest daughter is faring?"_ It was almost a rhetorical question at this point so Effie let it slide. _"Have you been appointed to her yet?"_

"I told you…" she sighed, her eyes roaming all over the place for the ashtray that she finally located on the coffee table next to the big red candle – where she had absolutely _not_ left it. She crushed what was left of the cigarette in it and moved to the bay windows. It was drizzling. "Haymitch Abernathy is her Watcher. I am simply here as… _reinforcement_ should they need it."

And, she thought, watching the dark figure of the dead tree against the night sky, it was becoming very obvious they _didn't_ need it.

It had been two weeks since they had all taken down that succubus together and she had never been called to _any_ meeting. She had thought she and Haymitch had reached an understanding but the sum of their exchanges since then amounted to gibes shot on either side of the coffee maker in the high school staff room. He wasn't exactly avoiding her but he was skilled at deflecting her questions and she was reluctant to force his hand so soon. His Slayer, on the other hand, wasn't shy about expressing her feelings. She glared at her every time their paths crossed in the hallways. Worse, perhaps, were the small sympathetic winces of a smile Peeta Mellark flashed her sometimes.

Although why the boy had been involved in the first place was still a mystery to her… Peeta was a nice enough young man but he had no hidden magical talents that she could perceive so she failed to see why Haymitch had found it pertinent to not only allow the secret to be divulged but to take him on a demon hunt…

There were _too many things_ she didn't know.

When President Coin asked for a report, she told her everything was progressing fine. Katniss' training, the reduction of the vampire population, the monitoring of the Hellmouth… The truth was she didn't know for sure because she was being kept on the sidelines and there was only so much she could discern from a distance.

She resented Haymitch for putting her in a position where she had to resort to white lies but coming clean might mean being relieved of the mission and replaced by someone else. Someone who might not have the same scruples she had and who would snatch the Watcher position for themselves… She didn't want to renounce that opportunity too soon. She wanted to keep it open.

" _In short, you failed to get promoted again."_ her mother mocked. _"If I were you…"_

"I know what you would do if you were me." Effie cut her off. One little spell here, another there… Everyone bewitched and under her thumb…

" _Do_ not _interrupt me. It is rude."_ Elindra rebuked _. "Truly, one would expect that someone raised by an Englishman would know better."_

"I did not call to discuss the Slayer or my career, Mother." she reminded her, turning her back to the window. The ashtray wasn't on the coffee table anymore. "Can you help with my problem?"

" _This is child play, Euphemia."_ Elindra complained. _"If you cannot do it right…"_

"I am _certain_ I did it right." she argued, calmly walking back to the coffee table.

She kneeled in front of it and took in the various pots and vials full to the brim with herbs and powder. She made sure the flat bowl was clean before starting the spell again, detailing everything she did to her mother on the phone.

It _was_ child play and she didn't understand _why_ the spell wasn't working.

Everything was where it should be. The flat bowl in front of the red candle, the circle of herbs around it for protection… The preparation was simple and straightforward enough. The last thing to do was light the candle. She did it with the silver lighter Finnick had given her for her birthday a few years earlier and, for a second, she watched the flame dance, aware that the ashtray was now resting on the armchair when it had been right next to her little finger a second earlier.

"Psyche, goddess of the souls…" she whispered, feeling the familiar, if a little frightening still, swell of power inside her chest. "I beg you to come and find the one who is lost." She closed her eyes, _focused_ … When she spoke, her voice was pure command, an order impossible not to heed. " _Begone_."

She opened her eyelids in time to see the candle snuff out.

She waited two breaths before sighing. "Well?"

" _Well. You followed the steps and, as far as I can tell, it seemed right to me."_ her mother commented in a bored voice.

It was the tenth time Effie had performed that particular spell since she had moved into the hotel's penthouse. Her lips pursed, she stood up and grabbed the ashtray to put it back in its rightful place. "I do _not_ understand why it does not stick! It is not my first ghost. What am I missing?"

It had started with little things: objects moving behind her back, almost inaudible murmurs in the dead of night, the prickling at the base of her nape telling her she was being watched, loud noises without causes… Typical signs of a haunting. She hadn't panicked because most ghosts were not dangerous and she knew how to deal with them but this one seemed very resistant to exorcism. It went away for a couple of days and then came back with a vengeance. It had been harmless at first but the day before she had _barely_ missed a glass that had been hurled across the room in the direction of her head. Every time she banished the ghost to the beyond, it came back stronger.

"Power _, darling."_ Elindra lamented. _"You are only an amateur, after all. Do not feel bad for failing. Perhaps you should find someone with more magical strength. I am certain they must_ abound _on the Hellmouth. What about that Watcher of yours? They form you all to the basic of magical arts, do they not?"_

Ask Haymitch for help? _Never_.

He _could_ probably banish a ghost just fine. It _wasn't_ difficult, it didn't ask for much power and the knowledge came in handy, but asking him would put her in a position of weakness when their relationship so far seemed to be all about confrontation. She needed to prove herself, her worth, not to call for help at the smallest difficulty. And a ghost? He would _laugh_ at her.

He had fought a Master vampire, had helped avert at least three major apocalypses, had killed more demons than most of the Watchers combined, had managed to keep four Slayers alive for more than three years when the current ratio of Slayers survival was of one year and a half on average…

She _wasn't_ going to call him because she had a little ghost problem.

"I will manage." she huffed.

" _Is he as attractive as they say?"_ her mother asked in a knowing voice. _"He_ does _have something of a reputation in some circles… I admit I am curious."_

"He is old and he drinks too much." she declared with, perhaps, a little too much strength. " _And_ he would have died last week had I not saved his life. A fact he seems to have _conveniently_ forgotten. Which, I suppose, _also_ makes him ungrateful. No, Mother, he is _not_ attractive at all."

She was being unfair, of course. She knew for a fact he was only five or six years older than she was, he would probably have managed to get out of the Succubus situation by himself or with Katniss' help and he _had_ accepted to tolerate her presence when he could just as well have made a fuss so Coin would remove her.

She passed in the big bedroom and frowned at the rain that was now hitting the bay windows so hard it almost drowned her mother's voice. The temperature had gotten lower too, enough that there was a chill in the air.

" _Just as well."_ Elindra hummed. _"You can do a lot better than_ a Watcher _."_

Her mother sneered the word like it was an insult and Effie had to resist the urge to remind her that _she_ was a Watcher too. Although a low-ranking one.

Shivering, she continued on to the bathroom and ran herself a bath.

"How is Lyssa?" she asked, knowing her sister was a topic that would take them away from any potential source of conflict. If you excepted _Lyssa_ herself, of course. Effie had never really accepted the fact that she had been sent away when Lyssa had grown up with their parents.

She suffered her mother's prattling for a while longer, humming and making the appropriate noises at the expected times, while she took her make-up off, lit candles all around the bathtub, studied the room service menu and, finally, undressed and slipped into the blissfully warm water.

It was fifteen more minutes before she managed to hang up.

She washed her hair quickly and then sank deeper into the bath, letting herself soak for a while. It was so cold out of the water that she suspected there must have been a problem with the heating system. She would ask the reception to send someone up when she would order a late dinner.

There _were_ advantages to living in a hotel, after all.

She scooped a handful of bubble baths and made the foam dance in the air, forcing her mind to focus, stretching her magic like a sixth sense to control the delicate matter and shift it into whimsical shapes… A bird, a cat, a plane… It was easy. A little too easy. Basic training. She let the foam fall back in the water and pouted.

Exorcising a ghost should have been easy too so it begged the question: why did it keep coming back? It hadn't been hostile at first but the more she attempted to get rid of it, the worse it seemed to get…

 _Should_ she consult Haymitch?

Perhaps, it would help bridge the gap if she sought his help. Some men liked that: defenseless women asking for their wisdom… She hadn't been shy of employing that very tactic on other Council members… He certainly didn't seem to mind her batting her eyelashes at him or flashing him seductive smiles… But, then again, _that_ particular tactic always worked on men who weren't interested in looking past her good looks.

And Haymitch was _very_ partial to her good looks.

She might have followed that road if she hadn't been so sure it wouldn't lead down a rabbit hole…

She liked sex.

She _loved_ sex, she corrected for herself, twirling her finger to make water swirl in the air.

She had used sex as a weapon before, it didn't bother her. Her body was a tool, that much had been hammered into her head since she had been thirteen… Of course, Caesar hadn't meant it _that_ way but she had found it a truly efficient one. Her beauty made people fools as surely as her mother's controlling spells… She had used that to her advantage plenty of times. _The escort_ , some mean-spirited boys in her class had nicknamed her. She didn't care. She got the job done and the Council's directors never asked how she had done it.

Haymitch now…

Simply remembering the interlude in his classroom before the succubus' attack made her hot and that in itself might be dangerous.

She might have had a small crush to begin with.

She had never seen him before Plutarch had introduced them, naturally, but she had _read_ about him. She had read Mags' journals, both the one she had kept during Iris Abernathy's run as a Slayer and the one she had dedicated to Mabel Larson. By the time Effie had discovered his existence, he was watching over his second slayer, Alina Graves. She had read every journal he had kept about his _protégées_. He was laconic in his writing, stuck to the hard facts and rarely if ever let anything personal slip through. The handwriting alone seemed to express his reluctance to record anything on paper…

It was the enigma of him who had pushed her to approach Mags, to ask for explanations as to how someone so young, an outsider to the Council and its secular lines of Watchers, could have been given an active Slayer. That's how Mags had started mentoring her like she often mentored young Watchers, that's how they had become _friends_ …

The stories Mags would tell… The rumors that were whispered around the Council building… The anecdotes Caesar would consent to disclose from mission reports not privy to anyone's eyes but the board of directors…

She had built such an image in her mind that he had slowly become something of a fantasy she had turned to when she had been lonely – and while she was rarely alone because she had a gift for making friends wherever she went, being _lonely_ had always been something of a problem. It had varied from scenarios where they would meet on a mission abroad and he would recognize her superior skills as a Watcher and made sure she was rewarded for her work by the Council to scenarios of a more… sexual nature. To be honest, even the first category had tended to end up with the latter.

She hadn't been able to help herself. He was _a hero_.

And he could have been her Watcher if the circumstances had been right and if she had been called. That was a particular fantasy of hers she had liked to visit more times than she cared to count.

All in all, the infatuation had been harmless before she had met him but now it was turning into something awkward and pathetic.

The water that was gently floating in front of her face turned to ice.

Besides, he might have been a hero but he was also a _jerk_. She had been _disappointed_. Rude, coarse, the flask he didn't do such a good job at hiding, the not so steady hands, the lack of professionalism… His refusal to admit she could be useful…

He _was_ handsome though. And it would have been easier if she could claim he wasn't _still_ featuring in her fantasies. It was even worse now, perhaps, because she had intimate knowledge of the way he kissed. She knew how his tongue would poke her bottom lip, she knew how his calloused palms would feel over her skin, she knew how he would lift her up and…

It was _so_ easy for her mind to continue the memory of their time in the classroom, to imagine what would have happened if they hadn't been interrupted by that scream…

She had wanted it _so badly_ , then… She had known it was wrong, that there was a chance he was simply affected by the succubus' pheromones, but she hadn't been able to resist his mouth or his hands or _his voice_ …

And he had simply been trying to seduce her into revealing herself as a sex demon… Or so he claimed.

She wasn't sure.

She didn't know.

She _did_ know she didn't want to call him because she couldn't get rid of a simple ghost. She wouldn't show herself to be incompetent.

With a grunt of frustration she dissipated the shards of ice floating in the air and stood up. The bath had turned cold and she wasn't anywhere near relaxed. Of course, the lukewarm water seemed _warm_ compared to the chill in the air.

Was it _frost_ on the mirror?

She had one leg over the edge of the tub when she felt something _pull_ on the ankle that was still in the water. She instinctively angled her fall forward rather than backwards, knowing it would hurt but that it would hurt less than potentially drowning. The side of the bathtub dug into her ribs but she held on to it for dear life even as she felt her lower body being dragged deeper into the tub.

"Psyche, goddess of souls. I beg you to come and find the one who is lost." she said in a hurry. "Begone."

For a second, nothing changed except for her slippery grip on the edge of the tub. Her chin was inches away from the water edge when the scented candles she had scattered around the room abruptly snuffed out. She felt the pressure around her leg loosen and she immediately hauled herself out of the bathtub without much grace or elegance. She lowered herself on the floor, shaking. She snatched the towel from the rack and wrapped herself in it, aware the chill in the air hadn't disappeared and that it was _definitely_ not natural.

Goosebumps ran down her whole body…

The door to the bathroom slammed shut and she licked her lips, considering her options.

"Psyche, goddess of souls…" she started again.

The mirror blew.

"Protect!" she screamed, instinctively lifting her arms to shield her face. The magical barrier stopped the shards but it didn't reassure Effie much or long.

She grabbed one of the biggest broken pieces of glass and didn't let herself hesitate when she sliced her palm open. The door was now slamming open and closed, frost was running up the walls, slowly but surely turning the bathroom into a freezer… She traced a pentagram on the floor with her blood and kneeled at the center, chanting the spell under her breath. She felt it lock into place just as objects started flying all over the bathroom, mainly aimed at her. They crashed on the magical shield the pentagram offered.

"In the goddess' name, I command thee…" she hissed. " _Reveal yourself_."

She had expected a human shape to appear, the ghost materializing maybe…

She hadn't expected the shift of mystical energy she felt deep into the building's foundation. It was strong enough to suck the breath out of her lungs.

 _Oh…_

 _Oh, stupid._

 _Stupid, stupid, stupid._

She hadn't been exorcising _the same ghost_ over and over again… It had been _different_ ghosts. Something was holding souls prisoner and they had probably been pouring out one at a time through a tiny leak. Minor haunting symptoms… She had been exorcising ghosts since she had arrived. And whatever it was that had been hoarding souls, it wasn't happy about her tearing her toys away from it…

Well, she thought, her teeth chattering, now she didn't have much choice about calling Haymitch or not calling Haymitch… She needed the Slayer.

Assuming, of course, that she didn't die of hypothermia before he could launch a rescue.

* * *

 _You get some Effie backstory! And some magic! And also some dire need of rescue! What did you think? Let me know your thoughts!_


	17. E3: Outsiders (2)

2.

* * *

Gale felt like a stalker.

He had been watching Katniss slip out of her mother's trailer every night from his bedroom's window for the past week. Sometimes Mellark picked her up, sometimes it was Abernathy on his bike, sometimes she just walked away by herself… She always had her bow and her quiver flung over her shoulder…

He had tried to ask her about it. He had tried to ask nicely. He had tried to _demand_ answers. He had tried to sweet talk Prim into telling him what she knew. He had tried to get _Rory_ to see what _Prim_ knew. He had tried questioning Madge. He had tried going to Heavensbee because _surely_ a teacher picking her up late at night was against the rules. In short, Gale had tried _everything_ to figure out what had happened to his best friend a little over a month earlier to make her so… _weird_.

So, that night, when he had understood it was one of those nights she would be leaving on foot, he had slipped out of his trailer and had followed after her at a distance despite the drizzle.

And he felt like a stalker.

When she led him all the way to the cemetery gates, he was surprised. He knew her father was buried there. His was too, not too far from Mr Everdeen's grave. But she hardly ever went to the cemetery in daylight, so _at night_? And with _her bow?_

It was easier to sneak after her in the graveyard than it had been along the paved streets lined with streetlamps that tossed pools of light on the pavement in which the rain danced like in one of those old movies. He only had to hide behind the big vaults that lined the path she was walking on – a path that led to the _very old_ area of the cemetery and was at the very opposite of the plot where their fathers were buried.

At some point, he accidentally kicked a pebble and she whirled around, an arrow nocked, her eyes scanning the surrounding darkness… Gale stood perfectly still and held his breath, hidden in the shadow of a decrepit vault with a very ugly cherub on top. His hair was plastered to his nape by the drizzle that was more irritating than real rain would be. He couldn't even wipe his eyes.

The standout lasted for what felt like forever. Then, she scowled and started walking again. She didn't shoulder back her bow.

It didn't feel like she knew where she was going, she hesitated when the path forked into two narrow alleys but she finally turned right, selecting the muddiest path.

 _What the hell was she doing?_

He got his answer five minutes later when she abruptly stopped in front of a vault which doors had been broken open. He didn't pay much attention to it because vandalism in the cemetery was so common in the Seam even newspapers had stopped reporting it.

"Next time, draw me a map." she grumbled.

For one terrible second, Gale thought he had been caught even if her words didn't make any sense. She would be _furious,_ of course, but he was just trying to understand, to _protect_ her because…

"Took your _sweet_ time." Abernathy answered, hauling himself out of the vault, covered in dust and grime.

"Mom was up." Katniss dismissed. "It's one of these days she felt like _doing stuff_. She cooked a dozen pancakes for dinner. I couldn't leave Prim alone to deal with her." She waved her bow in the air, betraying her annoyance. "Did you find it?"

"We found dust, bones, more dust and a couple of rats." Mellark declared, suddenly walking up the steps and out of the vault as if it was perfectly natural to do so. For whatever reason, he was equipped with two big water guns. They were dangling from his belt as if he was still young enough to play cowboys and Indians – and as if the weather was cooperating. "No amulet yet though."

They both stood in the relative shelter of the vault, leaving Katniss under the rain but she didn't seem to really care.

"There are still two tombs to go." Abernathy mocked. "I say it's Katniss' turn."

 _Grave robbers_.

They were…

Saying Gale was shocked and disturbed was an understatement. He had wondered where she had been finding the money lately… She claimed to be doing odd jobs for Abernathy but _this_? This was _sickening_. He had _known_ there was something _not right_ about this whole job affair, about _this teacher_.

He didn't know where Mellark featured in all this because Mellark, as much as he didn't like the other boy, was by all accounts _a good guy_. He got straight As, he didn't bully anyone, he didn't flaunt his money in anyone's face and he was the kind of person who would offer to give you a ride when he found you stranded on a deserted road somewhere – even if you hated his guts.

Gale had always known there was very little Katniss wouldn't do out of necessity when her sister was concerned and, while he was disturbed, he wasn't _entirely_ surprised she would find herself on the wrong side of the law yet again – _hell_ , he had been there before too, they had started shoplifting at the same time to feed their families. Mellark, though… It puzzled him.

Although… Should it?

He watched Abernathy good-naturedly pat Mellark's shoulder and chuckle when the boy wiped cobwebs off his arm with a disgusted face.

"Hey, you're the one who wanted to tag along." the teacher reminded him. "This job ain't one where you can stay clean, kid."

Something was deeply _wrong_ with that man.

Never mind the fact that the teacher didn't seem to like him much – because, after all, he had been to the principal several times to accuse him of being too familiar with a student – or that his own mother seemed to like him _too much_ and had lectured him at lengths about making defamatory accusations about someone who, by all accounts, was actually _helping_ the Everdeen girls. Every time Gale met his eyes, he couldn't help but _shudder_. They weren't quite _empty_ but there was a darkness there. He knew _in his guts_ the guy was dangerous and he had tried to warn Katniss. The fact that she refused to listen bugged him. The lie about him being a family friend was a slap in the face.

He _knew_ the Everdeens didn't have any family friend named Haymitch Abernathy. He had known them all his life. He would have heard about him before.

And never mind the things he had found out…

"You watch, I slay." Katniss retorted. "I'm pretty sure that means, you're the one who has to dig into old dusty tombs while I protect your ass. You've seen any vampires yet? I thought I heard something earlier but I didn't feel anything. It seems too calm though."

 _Vampires?_

Gale slowly crouched, careful not to make _any_ noise, thinking he must have heard her wrong.

"We didn't see any." Mellark shook his head. "I was just asking Haymitch if he was sure this was the right place."

"That's what Ripper said." Abernathy shrugged, fishing a silver flask from his pants pocket. Ignoring both Mellark and Katniss' disapproving looks, he took a swing.

"What were you doing in a demon's bar in the first place?" Katniss asked, planting her hands on her hips. Her stance growing even more disapproving.

Abernathy seemed to hesitate then, almost reluctantly, he put the flask back in his pocket. "I wanted a drink. And I'm allowed to catch up with old friends, am I?"

"Ripper's a demon." she argued.

 _Demons_? _Vampires?_

Could it be gangs? He knew there were a couple downtown. It was hard to ignore the drug circulating around the trailer park and behind the bleachers at school but he had never really taken an interest aside from warning his brothers he would skin them alive if he found out they ever touched the stuff…

"Ripper's a half-breed and she has her uses." Abernathy impatiently corrected. "Besides, her intel is usually good. If she says a vampire cult wants to use this amulet to bring an old god through, chances are good she's right."

"Is an old god as bad as it sounds?" Mellark asked. "'Cause it sounds worse than a succubus."

"It's worse." Abernathy shrugged. "It's a very huge demon. Usually worshipped by minor demons. Usually clever. Usually wants to take over the world. Easier on all fronts if we destroy the amulet first."

"You don't seem very worried." Katniss pointed out.

"Ripper said those vampires were amateurs." he dismissed. "Fledglings who want to play in the big kiddies pool."

"So we're sure it's not the Careers?" she insisted.

"Like I said. Ripper's intel is usually good." Abernathy sighed. "She likes it when I don't destroy her bar so she tries to stay on my good side… Now, who's gonna search the two last tombs? 'Cause I've already done two. Ain't fair." He was treated to two identical neutral looks and rolled his eyes. " _Fine,_ but you two _owe_ me. I expect pastries and a nice bottle of whiskey."

Gale was completely lost and very tempted to think they had all grown mad. Maybe Abernathy had swept Katniss and Mellark into his psychosis. Unless they were talking in code.

"What's with the water guns?" she asked Mellark, once Abernathy had disappeared back into the vault. Or was it a crypt? It looked bigger than it appeared at first glance and there were stairs that disappeared in the darkness, like maybe it was going deep into the ground.

"Holy water." Mellark grinned, lifting both guns in the air. "It won't kill them but it might slow them down enough that I can stake them."

 _What the hell?_

Katniss didn't look very impressed. "Just stay safe. I don't want you to get hurt."

"Always." the boy promised, still grinning. "Did Haymitch tell you we get to do magic next? Apparently, the amulet needs to be destroyed with holy fire or something…"

Katniss made face. "Are we getting Trinket?"

 _Trinket?_ How many teachers were in on this thing? He had troubles imagining the pretty Art teacher being part of _a gang_ …

And what was that about _magic_?

Unless _magic_ was some sort of drugs?

What if it _wasn't_ a gang? What if it was a _sect_ or something like that?

"No, he said it wasn't hard and he could handle it." Mellark answered. "We get to help."

"Yeah, right!" Abernathy's voice echoed from down the vault, entirely mocking. "You want to help with the magic but you don't wanna help with the grave digging! I see how it is!"

Mellark and Katniss both looked amused.

"He's in a fine mood." she commented.

"He _did_ go to a demon bar." the boy shrugged. "Apparently, they've got the good stuff."

This was _madness_ …

Then, out of nowhere, Katniss tensed and whirled around, her bow at the ready. "Incoming!"

Gale didn't spot the men until they were already upon Katniss and Mellark, they moved so fast his eye could barely follow. There were seven – eight? – of them and, before he could _think_ about moving, about _helping_ , Katniss had let an arrow loose and one of them had fallen. They had masks on their faces. _Demon_ masks.

Mellark shot a spray of water at one of them and the guy crumpled on the ground, smoke rising above him, screaming in pain. Abernathy came rushing out, pieces of wood in each hands…

Gale searched for Katniss because the two others… He didn't care if they lived or died. Well… He might care a little about Mellark because the boy clearly was in too deep in the same _whatever_ Katniss had been drawn in but he certainly wouldn't cry over Abernathy if he got slaughtered by a rival gang.

He spotted her on top of one of the vaults' roof. How she had gotten there when she had been on the ground two seconds earlier he wasn't sure but she was shooting arrow after arrow while Abernathy and Mellark fought them hands on…

 _She was going to kill someone_.

The guy she had shot earlier… He hadn't stood up again. However, Gale couldn't spot his body either so maybe he had just run away… Maybe it wasn't too late…

 _She was going to kill someone_ and that wasn't something she could ever come back from. Shop lifting, grave robbing… Those were petty crimes but _murder?_

He reacted instinctively.

It took him a lot of efforts to quickly haul himself on top of that roof without slipping and breaking his neck but when he _succeeded_ he _immediately_ tackled her, disrupting her aim before another of those guys could get hit. He heard the pained grunt below and Mellark's panicked " _Haymitch!"_ but had other problems, like trying to keep Katniss still.

She was strong though.

 _Far_ stronger than he had ever suspected.

She hit him in the stomach with the flat of her palm and it sucked the air right out of his lungs. She took advantage of that to flip them over and lifted her arm high in the air. He saw the stab coming down, saw the pointy piece of wood in her hand – the stake – and had only time to think, wide eyes and scared expression on his face, that she _really_ believed the vampire thing…

And also, maybe, that it really wasn't what he had had in mind the few times he had let himself think about what it would be like for her to straddle him…

The stake stopped inches away from his chest.

Recognition flashed on her face and then _betrayal_.

"Katniss!" Abernathy bellowed "Get your ass down here! They've got the amulet!"

She bolted off him and off that roof as if it was _nothing_ , as if the jump wouldn't have broken someone else's leg. He could only roll on his stomach and watch as she landed on one of the demon-masked guys – the one Abernathy and Mellark had been fighting together – and stabbed him in the heart.

The man exploded in a cloud of dust.

Gale rubbed his eyes, certain something was wrong with his sight.

Katniss ran off in hot pursuit of the four others who had fled shouting to each other about a Slayer – whatever _that_ meant.

"You're okay?" Abernathy asked Mellark, outstretching a hand to help him up from the ground where he had fallen. they were both muddy.

"Yeah." the boy said, wiping himself off. "I got one! And I didn't miss the heart, this time. Did you see?"

"Sorry, kid. I was a bit too busy _not_ getting bitten." the teacher scoffed, looking at the roof where Gale was still lying down. Gale wasn't sure and he didn't want to admit it but he thought Katniss might have bruised a rib. Not that Abernathy looked sympathetic to any possible injury. "Get down here, boy. You're gonna be sorry if you make me chase you up."

Gale scowled at the threat and ignored Mellark's startled face when the other kid finally spotted him. He did get down because there was no point staying up there and he was confident he could hold his own against a middle-aged man who abused liquor. He did it slowly and carefully, though, still not sure how Katniss had managed the jump without breaking or straining anything.

Abernathy was still glaring at him when he lowered himself to the ground but it was fine with him, he was glaring right back.

"How did _you_ get roped into this?" he spat at Mellark because out of the two, Mellark was the sensible one.

The other teenager frowned. "To help Katniss, of course."

 _Of course_. Abernathy had used Mellark's obvious crush on Katniss to get another disciple in whatever weird sect he was orchestrating…

Katniss, who came jogging back, an angry scorn on her face. Her grey eyes briefly stopped on him and they were icy cold before moving to the teacher and the other boy. She studied them attentively. "No one's hurt?"

"Scrapes and mud." Abernathy dismissed. "The amulet."

She shook her head. "I caught one but he didn't have it. The others disappeared."

"Great." the teacher snapped. "Guess who are the amateurs now?" He whirled around toward Gale. "And what were _you_ doing here?"

"And _why_ did you knock me off when I was about to shoot?" she hissed. "I could have killed Peeta!"

Mellark winced. "It's okay, the arrow just grazed me."

"Yeah but it gave the one you were fighting the edge it needed." Abernathy growled, glowering at Gale. "It could have killed you."

Gale was utterly done with their _bullshit_. He strode to Katniss and grabbed her arm, intending to take her home and give her an earful on the way. She remained rooted to the spot as if she was made of stone. When she shrugged his hand off, he felt it right up his shoulder.

"For _fuck's_ sake, Katniss!" he exclaimed. "Let's go home before you get yourself into even more troubles!"

"Troubles?" she snarled. "Because of you there might be a huge demon on the loose before dawn!"

Abernathy coughed in a very unconvincing way. "Rule two."

Katniss rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on… He saw the vampires. He saw them turning to dust. _Whatever_."

"Those guys weren't vampires." Gale objected, grabbing her arm again. She was crazy. Deep into whatever _bullshit_ they had told her. And with her mother… There were _antecedents…_ Maybe… "Vampires _don't_ exist."

"Denial 101." Abernathy snorted. "Right. No. There ain't any vampires. Whatever you think you saw today, it was a trick of the eyes. Those guys were just grave robbers and we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now, run along home, kid."

Each of his sentences was dripping with sarcasm.

"Is _that_ how you usually convince people?" Mellark deadpanned. "Let me tell you, it needs work."

"Vampires _are_ real." Katniss stubbornly argued, shrugging him off again. "I am the Chosen One, which means I'm the one girl in all the world who can fight them."

He waited a second for the laugh or the _"got you"_ all the while knowing she wasn't the one for jokes.

"You're delusional." he said, reaching for her for the third time.

She took one step back. "Grab me again and I will break your wrist. Best friend or not."

He ignored the empty threat and lifted both hands in front of him. "Katniss. _Catnip_. Vampires _aren't_ real. You're nothing _special_." He paused and then shook his head. "No, you're _plenty_ special but not… not because you were chosen to fight monsters or…" He licked his lips and shot a glare at Abernathy, his hands bundling into fists. "Did _he_ tell you all that?"

"He's my Watcher." she explained matter-of-factly. "He's here to mentor me."

"For the good it does since you _never_ listen." Abernathy grumbled. "Fine. You don't want to follow rule two and shout it from the rooftops, go ahead, but do it on your own time. We need to find those vampires before they manage to accidentally kick start a _fucking_ apocalypse."

The man took two steps in the vague direction the vampires had taken and both Katniss and Mellark looked ready to follow without question. It only took a sidestep for Gale to block his path.

"What did you do to her? I don't know what weird stuff you're into but I swear if you _touched_ her…" he growled.

Abernathy scowled. "I'm growing _real_ tired of that particular accusation, kid…"

"Do you even know _who_ he really is?" he challenged Katniss. Her face was blank so he turned to Mellark. "He's a _fucking_ serial killer!" The teacher scoffed but Gale didn't let that stop him. With a hint of despair, because he could see he wasn't getting to either teenager, he continued. "When he was sixteen, he was arrested for the murder of his girlfriend."

Abernathy froze. "Do _not_ go there, boy."

He ignored the warning. "They released him because they didn't have enough evidence and he had a hot shot English lawyer but the police was _convinced_ it was him."

"Your girlfriend…" Katniss whispered with a frown. It sounded like an unvoiced question.

" _Yeah_." Abernathy commented, his face twisting with pain. He pulled the flask from his front pocket and took a long gulp. "Let's go before I kill _this_ idiot."

"She wasn't the first one." Gale continued in a rush. Katniss looked sad and Mellark had a thoughtful look on his face. Maybe he was finally getting to them. "His brother… Well, I'm not sure he was really his brother… The police couldn't tell. His mom was a kid when she had _him_ and she died young. But there was another baby registered under his mom's name… _Whatever_. His brother disappeared one year before he murdered his girl. No trace anywhere. When she died they thought maybe he had killed him too." Abernathy's jaw clenched and, next thing Gale knew, there was a knife in his hand, a big hunting knife. He should have been scared maybe but he could only shoot Katniss a look of triumph at the proof that he was crazy. "I guess he liked killing helpless girls better though because after the police was forced to release him, he disappeared. A few years later he got a degree in London and he came back here, got close to a local high school girl. Four years later, she was found dead with her throat ripped out. And it doesn't stop there… There was a girl in San Francisco two years after. And three more since then." He took a challenging step toward their teacher. "That _sure_ makes a lot of dead teenagers for one creepy guy."

"Yeah." Abernathy snorted bitterly, fingers gripping the handle of his knife so tight his knuckles had turned white. "It _sure_ does."

"I'm sorry." Katniss offered.

Gale turned to her, ready to tell her it was alright, that they could forget the last month and a half, _move on_ , that he would help… But she wasn't looking at _him_.

After all he had just told her, she was looking at their teacher and she looked _sad_.

"Save it." Abernathy muttered. "Get rid of him. We need to…" A cheerful tune rang out in the otherwise silent cemetery and the man turned to glare at Mellark. "What did I say about messing with my phone?"

"You said to get your new one to work because you couldn't do it yourself." the other boy shrugged innocently. "I thought you'd like having personalized ringtones for everyone in the team so you'd know who's calling. Katniss has the _Brave_ theme and I picked _Scooby Doo_ for myself."

Abernathy took his phone out of his pocket but didn't bother looking at the screen. "Don't tell me who _Bewitched_ is for. I can take _a wild guess_."

Gale exchanged a glance with Katniss. Both because he had no clue what _Bewitched_ was and because there had gone from a tension thick enough to be cut with a knife to something a little less… intense.

"I'm busy, sweetheart." Abernathy said. It was an original way of answering the phone. He was silent for a moment and then rubbed his eyes. " _How much_ trouble? Cause on the trouble scale, I'm at _a-vampire-cult-invocating-an-old-one_ level. Wait, what's that noise? Is that _your teeth_? _Shit_ , okay, okay… How long can you hold on? Yeah, well, _no, obviously_ I ain't gonna let them bring an ancient demon on Earth _just_ to save your ass. It's pretty but it ain't _that_ pretty." Whatever was said on the other end of the line, it made him smirk. "Don't act like those tight skirts ain't made to be noticed. Okay. _Okay._ Hang on. We'll be around as soon as possible."

"Is Miss Trinket in trouble?" Mellark asked once Abernathy had hung up.

"Major one, sounds like." the teacher grunted. "Guess it's a night for slaying. Katniss, we need to get rid of those vampires and go to _The Capitol_ as fast as possible. I'm not sure how long Trinket can hold on without backup."

Katniss frowned. "Then, go to _The Capitol_. I'll take care of the vampires."

Abernathy looked torn. "I ain't letting you go into a nest alone." Mellark coughed and he rolled his eyes. "I mean without _proper_ backup."

"Did you listen to a word I just said?" Gale growled when he understood Katniss was _still_ believing all that craziness. "He's a…"

"He's _my friend_." she cut him off, shooting him a glare. "And you should trust me more."

"I don't even know how he can still be a teacher when it took me _ten minutes_ to find out everything about him!" he retorted. "I tried to tell Heavensbee…"

"Must be my charming personality." Abernathy taunted. "Or maybe the fact that I've been cleared of all charges… Or, _maybe_ , 'cause I found time to get a degree between my serial killing."

"You've got _money_." Gale sneered. "And money…"

"Makes the world go round." the teacher deadpanned, dismissing him to turn to Katniss. "They're gonna want an abandoned church for this ritual. Something holy but no longer sacred so they can get in…"

"The ruins not far from the woods on the other side of the highway." Mellark suggested immediately. "It used to be a church and it's the closest."

"Yeah." Abernathy nodded. "Okay. Let's try that one. If they're not there, we hit Ripper's bar. And if we've still got nothing… We swing by _the Capitol_ , save Trinket and then we try to stop whatever's left, vampires or big demon."

"Go get Trinket." Katniss insisted. "We can handle the vampires."

"Can we?" Mellark asked, sounding a bit unsure. "I'm with you, you know that, but Haymitch has a point… I won't be as much help as he would."

"Gale can cover us." she declared.

"What?" Gale asked, at the same time as Mellark and Abernathy.

She didn't seem bothered by their combined incredulity.

"He shoots as well as I do." She shrugged. "He'll take the bow and clear out the fray for me. Peeta, what do you have in your truck?"

"Stakes, an axe and…" Mellark frowned and tossed an inquisitive look at Abernathy. "Did you leave a sword in there?"

"See?" Katniss told the teacher. "We've got weapons. We'll be fine. Go help Trinket. I don't like her but we _said_ we'd do better, Haymitch. Nobody's dying tonight."

Abernathy watched her for long seconds and then gave a reluctant nod, his face grim. "Stay alive." He tossed Mellark a look while he picked up the helmet he must have placed on the ground inside the vault earlier. " _Both_ of you. I'll come and help as soon as I can. If they manage to get the demon through… _Run_. You're not trained enough yet." He winced. "Best thing would be to kill them all _before_ it gets that far though."

"Don't let the vampires invocate the demon." Mellark summed up. "Noted."

"You're _all_ crazy." Gale accused. " _All_ of you."

None of them even blinked at that particular accusation.

* * *

 _Soooooo Gale is now in the known - or is he? Do you think he will end up seeing the truth or will he continue denying? What does that mean for Peeta's place in the group? Can they stop the vampire cult without Haymitch? Can Haymitch get to the Capitol in time to save Effie? Will he survive for that comment about her tight skirts? Let me know your thoughts!_


	18. E3: Outsiders (3)

3.

* * *

Gale didn't know why he had climbed in the back of Mellark's truck.

Well, yeah, he knew. He still hoped he could reason with them, all the more so now that Abernathy had disappeared on his bike in the opposite direction, probably to answer the weirdest booty call ever.

But now they were driving a little too fast in the direction of an old church in ruins to stop a vampire cult from bringing an old demon god on Earth and Katniss had been ranting instructions at both him and Mellark nonstop.

"Katniss." he finally snapped and cut her off. "Katniss, please, _tell me_ , you _know_ this is all in your head. A game or…"

"You saw the vampire turn to dust." she retorted, rolling her eyes as if he was being particularly difficult on purpose.

He looked at Mellark but the boy's jaw was set and he was staring at the road ahead. It stretched in the headlights, blurry because of the downpour that had replaced the small drizzle, not the best conditions for driving and he knew that, soon, they would arrive and _then_ … He unbuckled the safety belt and scooted closer until he filled the space between the front seats.

"I don't know what I saw but it wasn't _that_." he insisted. "Katniss, this guy… Abernathy… He's a psycho. He's a _killer_." He only needed thirty minutes in the school library and _Google_ to figure out that much. "He's been filling your mind with…" He sighed and grabbed Mellark's shoulder. The boy startled and the car swerved a little before he got it back straight. " _You_ can't believe this shit, Mellark. _Peeta_. You're a straight A student. You _can't_ believe in _monsters_."

"I've seen the monsters." Mellark answered after a moment. "And I know it's difficult to believe…"

"It didn't take _you_ that long." Katniss muttered.

"But it's true." the boy continued, ignoring her. "Everything she told you, it's _true_. And Haymitch isn't a killer, Gale. Not the way you mean it." He shot an inquisitive glance at Katniss. "Did you know about his girlfriend?"

Katniss shook her head. "No. I told you I thought his mother was a Slayer but he never told me about his girlfriend… He did say he had known two Slayers before he became a Watcher though. Makes sense, I guess."

"It's terrible." Mellark answered. "I can't imagine…"

"That he murdered his girl and probably a dozen others more than the ones I found out about?" Gale deadpanned. Not that either of them really cared.

"They were killed by vampires or demons, Gale." Katniss sighed. "Slayers don't usually live long."

"Is that what Abernathy said?" he snorted. "Probably makes it easier for you to swallow when he actually kills you."

Katniss had apparently had enough. She popped off her safety belt too and spun on her seat to better glare at him. "If you don't believe me and you don't want to come, you can get out now. Peeta, stop the car."

"Keep driving." he growled in answer. "I'm not leaving you to go face a gang by yourself so you can get yourself killed."

"It's _not_ a gang." Katniss hissed. "It's a _vampire cult_. What do I have to do to convince…"

Mellark abruptly swerved with a curse to avoid the woman standing in the middle of the deserted road that crossed the woods. Gale was flung to the side.

He wasn't sure how the other boy didn't _completely_ destroy the car but he must have lost control of it because next thing he knew, they were _gliding_. Right until the side of the truck slammed hard into a tree. His head bounced back against the door and he remained slumped on the backseat, stunned.

The door that wasn't wrapped around a tree was ripped open. _Ripped open_.

The woman Mellark had tried to avoid hitting was standing there, one of those weird demon masks on her face. Maybe it was make-up, he decided, because it looked too… _real_. But when would she had found the time to do her make-up between the moment she had been on the road and the crash? He had only seen a glimpse of her and rain had been pouring down but he was pretty sure her face had been… _normal._

Her hand closed on his ankle and she _pulled_ …

He was a heavy boy. He was tall and muscular. He hadn't expected to move but, not unlike Katniss, she was stronger than she looked and she dragged him out of the car as if he weighed nothing. Once she had him out, she grabbed his hair and forced his head back… He tried to push her away but his ears were ringing and he was still half knocked-out from having hit his head.

The fangs that pierced his neck were a hard wake-up call though.

Even worse when they were ripped away from his throat.

Mellark had her in a headlock, his forearm tight against her throat… Anyone else would have suffocated in minutes but the woman showed no sign of missing oxygen and the other boy was starting to _really_ struggle to hold her back as she tried to claw herself free. She left deep scratches on Mellark's cheek.

"Stake her! Stake her!" he shouted as if that made any sense.

And then, out of nowhere a shadow fell on them. Dripping from the rain, standing taller than he had ever seen her, twirling a sword in her hand like others would have played with a pen.

"Drop her." Katniss ordered.

And Mellark did. No question asked.

The woman tried to turn on her but it was already too late. The sword came down and her head flew off.

Gale crawled back against the side of the truck, only stopping when he felt the open door at his back, staring at the spot the woman had fallen. There should have been blood and gore and probably a head because beheaded people _tended_ to bleed and miss a head…

There was nothing.

Nothing but dust in the wind.

"What…" he started. It didn't make sense. _Nothing_ made sense.

"Vampire." Mellark said, a little short of breath. "She must have been on look-out."

"Are you alright?" Katniss crouched next to him. She impatiently tossed her wet braid over her shoulder and then she touched his neck… "I don't think it's very deep. Did she drink?"

"I don't think she had time." Mellark denied. "I got there pretty quick."

He was bleeding, Gale realized. Because that woman… that _thing_ had bitten him hard enough to draw blood. Maybe they were all delusional. Maybe those people thought they were vampires the same way Katniss believed she was some sort of vampire hunter.

But then again… That woman had turned into _dust_.

"I'm fine." he mumbled, leaning into the hand she had moved to his cheek.

"I hate to interrupt." Mellark cut in – and, given the closed expression on his face, Gale doubted he hated to interrupt _at all_. "But… we're on a clock here."

Katniss darkened a little and slowly stood back up. She had been on the wrong side of the car and not buckled up either, she moved a little stiffly and there was blood down her face, although the rain was quickly washing it out.

"Are you okay?" Mellark worried, once he realized.

"We have an apocalypse to stop." she hissed for only answer.

°O°O°O°O°O°

Effie had never been so cold in her life.

Her hands and feet were going numb despite the warming spells she had casted and the protection the pentacle offered. She was hugging herself, still kneeling on the cold tiles, there were crystals of ice in her air and the towel felt stiff and scratchy around her body Frost had crept over everything in the room. The water in the tub was frozen thick. Her breath came out in white puffs in front of her face.

How long would it take Katniss to dispatch the vampires and stop an old god from materializing?

 _Too long_ , the voice kept murmuring in her head, _entirely too long_.

She was going to die in that bathroom if she didn't try to do _something_. But leaving the pentacle meant exposing herself to more physical attacks and she was _defenseless_.

She forced herself to uncurl, placed her hands flat on the floor, ignoring the dull throbbing in her sliced palm. This would have worked better if she had been on the ground floor or, even better, _outside_ , but needs must. She closed her eyes, willed her teeth to stop chattering long enough that she could _focus_ …

How many times had Caesar tried to teach her how to go into a trance? It was a sought-after training combat method, something about warriors needing to become one with oneself, to embrace the peace that could only come from within or something equally new-age. New age martial techniques hadn't been in fashion when she had been a teenager and she had never bothered to learn how to master that particular skill later on. Meditating, for her, had always amounted to making mental lists of the shoes and clothes she wished to buy.

According to her mother, it was another reason she was so bad at magic. A true witch needed to know how to control her mind, harness her own power and forge it into a weapon.

She supposed the fact Caesar and Elindra were in agreement on something should have been enough to make her revise her judgment. She certainly regretted not being more proficient at it now.

Clearing one's mind when you were about to die was a lot more difficult than it seemed.

She tried to focus on her breathing like Caesar had droned on and on about when she had been fifteen but she couldn't ignore the shivers and the uncontrollable chattering of her teeth. In the end, she did the reckless thing and _dove within_ …

She didn't have enough power to leave the pentacle and live to tell the tale but perhaps she could borrow it. Her fingers clenched on the tiles when she confusedlyfelt the tendrils of power under her palms. Earth magic. Familiar. Eternal. She didn't have enough focus to clearly discern the intricate patterns of power but it was there for her to tap into all the same.

But there was something else…

A primitive tempting beat under the familiar hum of the Earth…

Her mind brushed against one of those tendrils of power and recoiled in horror. She crashed back into her own body, opening her eyes and taking a deep gulps of air… _Dark, dark, dark_ … _Sweet rotten whispers… Promises of glory and power…_

The Hellmouth.

That source of power was right there. Easy to tap into. So easy it was almost tempting because she knew all she had to do was reach for it and she would not be cold anymore. She would have enough power to blast whatever was trying to kill her to hell. She wouldn't need to gain Coin's approval or to climb the Watchers' ranks. She would be all powerful, young and beautiful for all eternity, a merciful Queen for the world to worship…

The whispers were so sweet… So _tempting_ …

"Trinket!"

She blinked and suddenly realized that she was still on her knees, still freezing, and not anywhere closer to getting out of there.

A crashing sound echoed from somewhere in the penthouse, followed by a loud curse.

The rescue had come.

How long had she been listening to the Hellmouth's song?

"I'm here!"

She tried to shout but her voice was pitiful to her own ears. She listened to Haymitch's voice cursing _the thing_ to hell and back as he struggled to reach the bathroom. There were more crashing sounds so she supposed objects were back to flying all around in the air.

Finally, something – someone – hit the closed bathroom door. It resisted.

"It's frozen shut." she called out.

"Then, _fucking_ , blast it open!" he demanded.

Fire. Summoning fire, right then… It was above what she could do. But ice… She had always felt an affinity to ice. She focused on the frost that covered the wood and willed it to _crack_. Haymitch was still hitting the door and between her magic and his strength, he managed to kick it down.

One look at her and his features morphed into concern. " _Fuck_ …"

He took three steps in the bathroom and then fell to his knees, struggling against an invisible attacker.

Except this one wasn't so invisible anymore. She could guess at its human shape. The ghost was strangling Haymitch from behind and there was nothing the man could do to get rid of it. His hands tried to grab it but went through the translucent arms…

"No." she growled and, this time, when she pushed deep into the earth to find a source of power, she didn't let herself waver. She ignored the black rotten tendrils that came from the Hellmouth and grabbed the weaker but purer figment of Earth magic. She felt the jolt right down to her belly. The surge of power that made her head roll back in a flash of golden light… When she spoke, her voice wasn't her own. It was _power_. " _In the name of the goddess_ … _Begone_."

Haymitch fell face first on the floor, gasping for breath. He coughed twice and then pushed himself on his hands and knees, crawling to her. When he grabbed her, she didn't resist. She wasn't sure she could have even if she had tried. He pulled her against him and he was so warm she snuggled against his chest gratefully, sighing in relief when he wrapped his jacket around her. He was muddy and wet from the storm outside but it was still warmer than anything she could dream of.

"Blue ain't the best color on your lips, sweetheart." he commented.

She laughed. She tried to. She might have if getting warmer hadn't been _so_ painful. Prickles in her hands and toes… _Magic_. The magic she had borrowed was helping her.

"Nice lightshow." he snorted next, helping her back to her feet. He wrapped an arm around her waist and steered her toward the bedroom.

"It won't… It won't stop it long." she warned in a stuttering whisper. "Where's… Where's Kat…"

"She's taking care of the vampires." he told her, in a tone that clearly expressed it wouldn't have been his first choice. "We didn't want to risk you."

It might have been nice to hear if it hadn't been said in such a detached tone. It wasn't her personally they had been concerned about but the loss of life in general.

"Weapons?" he asked, once they had left the freezing bathroom behind. It was warmer in the bedroom but not by much. She rushed to the walk-in closet and grabbed the first pair of leggings and the first woolen sweater she found. She needed to get warmer before they were under attack again.

"Trunk. Under the bed." she answered, her teeth still chattering.

He put a knee down to grab her weapon trunk and, thus doing, turned his back on her. She seized the occasion to shed the towel and put on her clothes – more difficult than it seemed because of her uncooperative fingers and the fact the towel had frozen stiff.

"Got a thing for enchanted blades?" he mocked.

She pulled the blue angora sweater over her head and glanced at him to find him rummaging through her – altogether modest – collection of weapons. All of them were either enchanted or magical in nature. _A pain_ to get through customs too.

"They are pretty." she replied petulantly. She liked the engraved runes and the shimmering colorful mist of magic that clung to some of them once activated. They looked _darling_ once exposed in an armory – as _darling_ as an armory could ever get anyway – and she could color code them with her shoes. Having the right accessories was important even when you were trying to kill something. Perhaps, even, _particularly_ then. "It is the latest rage for Watchers."

She supposed she had been the one to start the trend, all things considered, but… It had launched a fashion of sort.

"Any idea what we're going against?" he asked, still inspecting her collection. He was cautious at least. Grab the wrong end of an enchanted blade and you could end up missing a limb. He tossed her a glance over his shoulder and his eyebrows shot up. "You're kidding me!"

She fixed the buckle of her high heel and wriggled her toes to get the feeling back into them. The leftover of Earth magic was slowly fading and she suspected it might have spared her a bad case of frostbite.

"Excuse me but fighting demons naked is not my preference." she huffed.

The smirk was immediate, as was the twinkle in his grey eyes. "Too bad." His amusement faded quickly though. "But you've got no problem fighting them _in_ _heels_. Sure you don't wanna do your make-up too?"

Her cheeks turned crimson when she realized her face was bare. It was bad enough that her hair was wet and tangled but no make-up to hide the imperfections and the small lines that were starting to appear at the corners of her eyes?

Well, this would settle the question of attraction for good. Now that he had seen her without artifices, there was no way he would consider…

"I was thinking and I believe we are in the presence of a nexus of sort." she declared, keeping her features schooled. She wouldn't give him the pleasure of knowing he had made her self-conscious. "The ghosts… I believe I recall reading about a phenomenon when…"

"Too many brutal deaths in one place and the souls stay trapped, like some sort of huge meta ghost." he finished thoughtfully. His face closed. " _The Capitol_ fits the bill. It was Snow's before they turned it into a fancy hotel. The basement's huge. He kept an arena in there. Hundreds of dead, probably."

" I remember reading about this… This is where your mother found your brother, is it not?" she hummed.

He pounced on her and, at first, she thought it was the comment that had enraged him but by the time she hit the floor, a shard of ice was embedded in the wall, right where her head had been a second earlier. The shard vanished but the dent in the wall remained.

Haymitch was heavy and she had instinctively grabbed the back of his shirt when he had tackled her. Her blue eyes found the odd shimmer in the corner of the room before she could even think about disentangling herself from him.

" _Begone."_ she hissed. "How many times do I need to do this tonight? _Begone_."

It was less effective than a full exorcism and she doubted this particular ghost was truly banished. The threat was delayed again, though. She let out a long breath and forced her body to relax. Her muscles were cramping from the cold and the fear…

Haymitch, meanwhile, had propped himself on his elbow, his grey eyes dancing with amusement and… Something else. "You know… Not that I mind the position and all… But you can let go of me anytime, sweetheart."

She realized she was still clenching his shirt and she quickly let go but jutted her chin up, refusing to be embarrassed by him again. "It appears it is not _me_ who is enjoying this position _the most_."

His lips stretched into a smirk once more. "Hate to disappoint you, Princess, but that's just a stake."

"Would you stop with the pet names?" She rolled her eyes and pushed him off. She cleared her throat and forced her tone to go back to something _a little more_ professional. She wasn't a school girl anymore and she would _not_ behave like one. "So we _agree_ we are in presence of an entity made of lost souls? It was probably dormant and I woke it up when I tried to exorcise what I believed to be one particular resistant ghost." She hesitated. "Have you seen this before?"

 _She_ hadn't. And she didn't like admitting that much.

"Once." he answered, using the edge of the trunk to pull himself in a sitting position. "The ruins of a village in Africa. There was a slaughter." He shook his head. "It looked like a giant mega ghost."

"How did you beat it?" she asked.

"We didn't." he winced. "Chaff… He's a friend of mine, we did some demon hunting together back in the day… _Whatever_." He spoke more quickly, dismissing his own unnecessary explanations. She knew who _Chaff_ was, anyway. Chaff Mitchell. Not a Council operative even though they had done business with him once or twice but a freelance demon hunter. And a respected one, at that. "He got hurt. We bailed. Local sorcerers said they would take care of it."

"Fantastic." she deadpanned. "When I _think_ I used to believe you were _competent_."

"Hey, I'm not the one who woke up the ghost army from hell." he scowled. "Mind the sass."

There was an ominous shattering sound and they both looked at the bay windows that were now full of cracks, like a spider web running all over the glass. Slowly, the fragments separated and spun until the sharp ends were pointed at them…

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say that's not you doing that." he said, pushing himself to his feet.

She didn't bother answering, she dove for the trunk and closed her hand on a particular hilt devoid of a blade. _Haymitch_ dove for _her_ and pulled her to her feet. He shove her toward the living-room. She whirled around and collided straight against his chest but he rolled with it and wrapped his arms around her waist to tug her into the relative safety of the living-room while she lifted a hand behind his back.

" _Protect_!" she demanded.

The shards that had been flying straight at them crashed against the magic shield she struggled to sustain. It was a good thing Haymitch was holding her because he supported her when she faltered.

"Here's the plan." he told her, dragging her toward the main door. Was _that_ even a good idea though? She doubted the entity would let them use the elevator…"We get out, go make sure Katniss doesn't get herself killed being her idiotic self, do some research and come back prepared."

The living-room bay windows shattered too and, this time, she didn't react fast enough.

Haymitch barely had time to push them both behind one of the couches for cover.

"I _hate_ to contradict but I _do_ believe we need a new plan." she remarked.

Given the glare he shot her, he wasn't amused.

* * *

 _Soooooo Gale has now officially been convinced vampires exist, Peeta's car is toasted and hayffie is in trouuuuuble ;) What do you think?_

 _Word of update about this story: I am currently moving so it is entirely possible I will miss two Sundays updates in a row. I will try to update next week at least but I am not making any promise because moving is exhausting and I will lose internet for a few days at some point... I will keep you updated on tumblr about the update schedules, I know it's a bit of a cliffhanger to hold on to for two weeks but I will do my best ;)_


	19. E3: Outsiders (4)

4.

* * *

"Can you exercise it? If it's made of ghosts or ghostlike energy or whatever, we should be able to get rid of it the same way." Haymitch asked and, Effie supposed, it was a reasonable question.

She nervously rolled the hilt of the knife she had grabbed out of her trunk between her palms. A pale blue blade had appeared the moment her fingers had closed around it. It was long and curved like a flower blossom. "A standard exorcism would never work…"

"Alright." he accepted without question, his grey eyes searching hers. "Do you know one that's not standard?"

There was a touch of impatience in his voice but also something that sounded like _respect_. Magic wasn't his area of expertise, he had told her as much, so he was willing to defer to her. It should have warmed her, made her proud perhaps, but at that moment she wouldn't have minded simply following orders.

She was not a warrior.

She would have made a pitiful Slayer.

She had become a Watcher because Watchers weren't supposed to see a lot of combat…

The coffee table flew over their heads, crashed against the wall behind them with so much force that pieces of woods and glass were projected everywhere like tiny missiles. Haymitch immediately leaped on her, forced her body closer to the floor, bowing over her to shield her with his body.

She couldn't swallow back the frightened squeak.

"Trinket." he said. " _Focus_."

 _Focus._

How many times had Caesar requested it?

How many times had her mother demanded it?

She had disappointed them both. She refused to disappoint _Haymitch Abernathy._

"There is an old Sumerian one." she recalled although she wouldn't have been able to say how if pressed. "It is used for poltergeists. It might work."

If she tricked a few things… If she managed to keep her magic steady… If…

"Good." he praised. "Then, that's the new plan."

His hands were gripping her arms tight and it was a little painful but she didn't say anything.

"No." she objected, shaking her head. "It is not _good_. I will need supplies, a book and time." She licked her lips and briefly closed her eyes when she heard something else being flung at the other side of the living-room. The TV maybe. "I have supplies and I have the book." Although how she would find them in this mess… It looked like a tornado had destroyed the penthouse. "But time…"

His grey eyes dulled a little and an odd sort of calm washed over his face. "I'm gonna buy you time. Can you force it to manifest?"

"You… You _cannot_ mean to fight it!" she gasped. "It is a job for a Slayer not…"

"Trinket." he cut her off. "I've been fighting demons since I could walk." Another man might have said it with pride or arrogance – and he certainly didn't lack the two traits – but the way he said it… It was tired, bitter and a little disgusted. It was also very true. "I buy you time. You exorcise it before it kills me. I protect you and you've got my back, yeah? Make him manifest."

There was no trace of hesitation on his face. None at all.

She doubted the expression on her own face was as confident.

And yet she couldn't think of a better plan.

She forced the hilt of the knife in his right hand.

"Vapor blade." she explained. "It's…"

"Incorporeal." he finished for her. "Works well on spirits. Good thinking grabbing that up."

A Slayer should always listen to her instincts, Caesar had drilled into her head. Called or not, some things had stuck.

The couch they were hiding behind started shaking.

"Make him manifest. Now." Haymitch ordered, letting go of her arm.

Her own hand shot out and coiled around his nape before she could overthink it.

 _Instincts_ , she told herself. It was all about instincts.

She pulled him toward her until their noses bumped and their mouths were brushing. She could feel the itch of his stubble against the soft skin of her chin.

" _May the odds be ever in your favor."_ she mouthed directly against his lips.

He sucked in a breath when the magic rippled on him. The good luck charm wouldn't save him, it was but a child's trick, a heartfelt wish… But it might be enough protection, however small, to give him an edge.

She drew back, intending to summon the angry entity _before_ their fragile shelter was torn away from them but he didn't let her go very far. The kiss he planted on her lips was angry, _rough_. His tongue forced its way into her mouth only long enough to poke at the inside of her teeth, then he was moving away.

His own brand of a luck spell, perhaps.

She closed her eyes and forced herself to calm down, to find that inner peace she had so much trouble ever achieving… "In the name of the goddess, I _command_ thee. _Reveal yourself_."

At first, she didn't think she had made it.

The couch was flung aside and both Haymitch and she were tossed on opposite sides of the room. She took a second to recover after she landed, her thigh was smarting and she was pretty sure the slice on her palm had started bleeding again. Then, she lifted her head and she _saw_ it.

It was standing there, in the middle of the destroyed living-room, not too far from the shattered bay windows and the golden curtains that were flapping in the wind. Thunder boomed outside and the lights flickered, as if they had needed more dramatic effects.

The lights didn't matter though. The entity would have been a beacon in the darkness. It shone blue, the very same blue as the incorporeal blade in Haymitch's hand. It was humanoid-shaped but tall, so tall its head was brushing the ceiling. Faces kept stretching out of his torso, sometimes followed by a neck and shoulders, only to snap back inside as if the ghosts were trapped in it.

"Trinket." Haymitch reminded her. "Now ain't a good time to slack."

She rushed toward the bedroom, her heels crushing wayward shards of glass under her feet. It was lucky her bedroom was the least damaged room. She tossed herself on the bed to grab the Ipad she had left charging the morning before and scrolled through the books selection until she found what she was looking for. She looked the list of ingredients over and the particular ritual twice, trying to commit the steps to memory and ignore the noises of fighting coming from the next room.

She kept her supplies in the closet, away from maids' prying eyes. She grabbed what she needed and rushed back to the destroyed living-room, her arms full of jars and clutching her Ipad close to her chest. She sat down in the corner and started tracing the symbols around her, mixing the herbs, glancing at the tablet for references when she wasn't tossing desperate looks at Haymitch.

He wasn't faring really well. He was dodging and insulting the entity more than he was actually engaging it. At some point, the knife sliced through its arm and it recoiled with a guttural pained noise. Tendrils of mist rose from the wound…

It soon riposted by hurling Haymitch half across the room. Was it her lucky charm? He landed on the cushions of the half-broken couch.

He still lost the knife.

Effie started reading the incantation. Her Sumerian was a bit rusty and she tripped over a couple of words but she kept the flow, she didn't stop, not even when the entity turned toward her as if it knew what she was doing, not even when Haymitch blocked its path, weaponless and bleeding from deep gashes on his arms, not even when it swept him out of the way as if he didn't weight anything… She kept the rhythm, she kept reading, she gave in to that warm tingling inside her…

She should have been terrified but she was calm. She could feel the magic swelling around her.

The entity was a foot away when she finished the spell in a triumphant shout.

The whine was like nothing she had ever heard, a drum piercing screech that made her cover her ears… But when she looked up, the entity was gone and the cold that had fallen on the penthouse while she was on the phone with her mother had dissipated. Although the broken window weren't exactly keeping the place warm…

She got to her feet, a little dizzy from the major magic use, and stumbled to where Haymitch's form laid on his front apparently unconscious. She fell more than she sat down, her head too light for her to keep her balance. Her fingers were shaking when she reached for his shoulder.

"Please, do not be dead." she begged, pushing so he would roll on his back. "Please, do not be dead."

"If I'm dead, you're gonna give me the kiss of life?" he muttered, slowly opening his eyes. His eyelids fluttered open and closed a few times before his gaze finally met hers. She had never though grey could have so many shades to it. He let out a long groan. "I'm too old for this _shit_."

"You are the one who always kisses me first." she huffed,

"Not true." he denied, slowly sitting up. She reached out because he swayed a little left and right and he blindly grabbed at her shoulder. "You're the one who started it tonight."

"That was not a kiss, that was a luck _spell_." she argued. "Are you alright?"

"Lips on lips, I call that a kiss, sweetheart." he snorted and then winced. "Like I said. I'm getting old." He looked around, taking the surrounding destruction and lifted his eyebrows. "Hope they're insured."

"I will blame the storm." she decided, choosing to abandon the _kiss_ conversation for now.

"Better pretend it was a tiny tornado." he advised, rotating his shoulder a few times. "I need to go and help Katniss."

"I will come with you." she offered even though she didn't think she would be able to do much more magic tonight. At least, nothing on the scale she had just done.

"Can you even stand?" he mocked.

"Can _you_?" she retorted.

He hadn't tried to stand up yet. He was still clutching her shoulder as if he wasn't certain he could remain upright by himself. It suited her because she was still holding onto his arm. The room wasn't spinning around her anymore but it wasn't yet entirely steady.

His chuckles were half covered by the boom of thunder. "Point. No way you can give us a magic boost?"

She wrinkled her nose. "There won't be any magic tricks for a few hours."

"And yet you wanna come and fight vampires and possibly an old god." he taunted. "What are you gonna fight with? Your stilettos?"

"They are not _stilettos_ , they are _Jimmy Choo_." she scoffed. "The _blasphemy_." It earned her more chuckles. He patted his pants pocket and pulled out a silver flask. He took a long mouthful and offered it to her. She hesitated. "A flask. How charming."

She snatched it before he could take it away and took a long mouthful. It was whiskey, not her alcohol of choice, but it burned her throat and, given the lingering cold that left goosebumps on her arms, it wasn't unwelcomed.

When she handed it back, he put it away and sighed. "I really need to go."

He used her shoulder as a lever to get back to his feet and let out a long breath once he was upright again. She grabbed the hand he offered and let him haul her up too.

"You shouldn't go alone." she insisted. "I am not a skilled fighter but I can probably handle a few vampires."

He opened his mouth but before he could accept her offer or decline it again, a cheerful ringtone echoed from the pocket of his jacket. It took her a few seconds to place it and, when she did, she lifted her eyebrows, her lips pursed in a small smile. _Scooby Doo._

"Great fan of cartoons, are you?" she teased.

"That's Peeta." he rolled his eyes.

"Peeta is a great fan of cartoons?" she frowned. Was Peeta with Katniss? That was not protocol _at all_ and they would need to discuss it at some point soon.

"That too." he mysteriously replied and answered the phone, his face once again closed in worry.

* * *

 _We're back in business! So did you like this chapter? Let me know!_


	20. E3: Outsiders (5)

5

* * *

Gale was taller than Katniss was and he had never needed to quicken his pace to keep up with her before. And yet, there he was, hurrying after her while she strode through the woods toward an old church in ruin that seemed to be rising from the muddy earth in the distance… The church was on a deserted patch of road, which was probably why it had been abandoned in the first place. Except it wasn't so abandoned now. There were strange flickering lights inside, he could see them even through the covers of the trees. Candles, maybe.

He glanced at Mellark who was trying to keep up too, firmly gripping an axe in one hand and a stake in the other. The boy's gaze was on Katniss and never strayed from her.

Gale was carrying her bow. It was a very nice bow, not her old one – that one had been lost, she had briefly explained – and he was itching to use it because… Well, it was fine craftsmanship and he had a thing for bows.

Once they were closing in on the church, Katniss started slowing down, moving more carefully… There was no being discreet though. Not with the mud sticking to their shoes in a wet suction sound every time they took a step. And they were upwind too. But maybe the thunder and the rain would mask their approach long enough that they could snatch the element of surprise.

"Here's the plan." Katniss said. "Gale, find high ground and shoot them through the heart. Peeta, stay with him and guard his back. You _don't_ take any risks. If it looks like we're losing, make a run for it."

"What are _you_ going to do?" Mellark frowned.

She was going to run straight in the middle. Gale just knew it.

"Maybe you should take Mellark with you." he suggested. "I can handle myself."

"I want you shooting." she argued. "Once they figure out there's an archer, they will try to take you out. This is the plan. Stick to it."

And with that, she was rushing straight to the church without waiting for either of them, this time.

Mellark cursed and then the two of them were running too.

During the short walk, he had tried to prepare himself. _Vampires were real_. He still had some problems swallowing that one down. Katniss had been chosen to kill them even though it made no sense for a sixteen year-old girl half his size to be chosen when there were stronger people who could probably make a better job of it. Vampires were stronger than your average human and going against one was dangerous – but Mellark had apparently gone against a few already and had survived to tell the tale because Katniss had confided in _him_ first and wouldn't have told Gale if… Lingering on that was probably not helpful.

Ways to kill vampires included wood through the heart – it _had_ to be the heart and preferably wood – beheading, fire and sunlight. Holy water and crosses would hurt them but not kill them and they couldn't come in unless they were invited. To be turned, you needed to be sucked dry and to be fed enough vampire blood.

He went over the list as he ran and still didn't find any of it reassuring.

Katniss had already jumped inside the church by the time they reached it, disturbing the odd chanting the black hoods clad vampires had been doing. As far as Gale could tell, they had been standing around the big red circle painted on the floor – was that blood? – and lined with flickering black candles. There were also strange symbols painted at each cardinal point but he didn't pay them much attention because Katniss was fighting seven of them on her own, her sword not quite keeping her from getting overrun.

He looked for higher ground.

The church really was in a sad state. One of the walls had crumbled and so had parts of the ceiling. There had been a second story, though, either for the choir or to allow more people in… He spotted the old rotten steps that led up and dashed in that direction, Mellark on his heels.

The other boy hesitated at the bottom of the stairs and Gale figured he was tempted to go help Katniss. He couldn't really blame him but he wouldn't stop to reason with him either.

He found the best vantage point and he nocked an arrow.

He took a deep breath before releasing the shot, making a short prayer that the whole thing was real and that he hadn't let his mind been turn by tricks. The vampire that had been about to jump on Katniss' back exploded in a cloud of dust. He stopped holding his breath.

He was aware Mellark had finally made his choice and had reluctantly joined him on the upper floor, his axe and his stake ready to be used.

"Look! The amulet!" the other boy told him, pointing at the three vampires that had left the fray and had started chanting again. "Stop them!"

He spotted the one who was clutching an old amulet in his hand and released another arrow. Unfortunately, it also brought the attention on them. Mellark rushed to wait for them at the top of the stairs while Gale released more and more arrows. Some of them didn't find their mark.

They were faster than humans and nobody had told him that.

Katniss tried to move between the vampires and the stairs but she was still fighting two of them and she had lost her sword at some point. Gale tried to shoot the two who were coming at them but he only hit a shoulder and a chest, not the hearts.

Mellark was ready though.

He flung the axe with a battle cry that would have been more impressive if the first vampire hadn't grabbed it with his bare hands and torn it away from him.

Gale shot at the vampires Katniss was fighting. He got the one on the right. She rolled down, snatched the sword from the ground and dispatched the one on her left by cutting off his head.

The two vampires on the stairs probably saw their luck had run out because instead of jumping on Mellark to kill him, they jumped off the stairs and to the main floor and made a dash for the exit. Katniss tossed one stake and hit the one closest to the broken down doors in the heart.

The last one turned around and hissed at her like an angry cat, his yellow eyes looking around for a way to escape...

Katniss didn't flinch or hesitate. She raised her sword and jumped. It was almost beautiful to watch. The vampire tried to avoid her but she turned on herself and hit him with a flying kick, sending him soaring in the air… He landed hard enough to break his back.

Gale never found out if vampires' spinal cords could get severed because Katniss cut off his head before the guy could even look up.

For several minutes, they all stood still.

Katniss was panting in the rain that poured from the half collapsed ceiling, wayward strands of hair plastered to her face, blood, mud and dust painting an odd battle mask on her face…

Gale thought she had never been more beautiful.

It was Mellark who recovered first. He stumbled down the stairs and right up to where the vampire with the amulet had been and rummaged through the pile of dust until he could fish he old thing out.

"Do you think we made it?" he asked anxiously. "Do you think we stop them in time?"

He was watching the painted circle, the candles and the weird symbols warily.

Katniss shrugged her ignorance. "Try calling Haymitch. We need to know if he needs help anyway."

Another fight?

Gale didn't know if he had another fight in him. He realized he was still holding the bow ready and forced his arms to lower it. Then, he slowly made his way down the stairs, wondering how the two of them could look so nonchalant about the whole thing.

How soon had they gotten used to risking their lives like that?

He didn't really listen to the conversation Mellark was having with Abernathy. He approached Katniss and pulled her into a hug without really asking for her permission. His heart had been in his throat the whole time she had been down there and he up there, too far to help if she really needed it… After a second, she dropped the sword and clung to him.

There was a long silence on Mellark's end but Gale barely noticed.

"No. Sorry. I'm still here." the other boy said, his voice strained. "No giant demon, no, but we could use a ride back to town. I crashed the car."

Gale buried his face in Katniss' wet hair. "Why didn't you tell me _before_?"

"You wouldn't have believed me." she retorted.

And she had a point.

"You shouldn't have gone through that alone." he insisted.

She drew back and frowned. "I _wasn't_ alone."

She looked to where Mellark had been standing a minute earlier but he wasn't there anymore. Gale let go of her and looked around but the church was empty.

They found him outside, he was watching the lightning bolts in the distance, his face angled away from them.

"Haymitch says if an old god had come through we'd know." Mellark told them. "He also says you need to hold on to the amulet, he still wants to destroy it." He forced the weird-shaped piece of metal in Katniss' hand. Was it gold?, Gale wondered. It looked like gold. "They're coming to pick you up in Miss Trinket's car. They've taken care of things on their end but Haymitch said, since there's no emergency, they might take five minutes to recover so you might want to take shelter until they get here."

"What do you mean?" Katniss frowned. "Where are _you_ going?"

"I'm going to go and try to start my car again." Mellark explained. "Don't worry about me."

And with that, he started walking toward the road as if it was perfectly safe for him to do so. As if there weren't vampires and apparently old gods and huge demons hiding in the shadows of the night… Gale exchanged a look with Katniss. He didn't need her to say it to know they would be following.

"Wait!" she demanded. "We're coming with you. They're going to drive past your truck anyway." Mellark didn't acknowledge that and Katniss started scowling. Gale wisely hung back a little. "What's your problem?"

"I don't have a problem." Mellark snapped. "I'm just… Look, I'm sorry. I'm tired."

"Did you get hurt?" she worried.

"No. I'm fine." Mellark sighed, pushing ahead. "You should check on Gale. He banged his head pretty bad when we hit that tree."

Katniss didn't check on him but she _did_ fall back to walk with him. Even if she spent the whole time glaring at Mellark's back.

"I don't get it." she muttered eventually.

"I know." Gale snorted, not really amused.

"Do _you_?" she challenged.

He did, actually, but he wasn't ready to confront her about it in the middle of spooky woods under a thunderstorm when they were both soaked, bloody, and, above all, _not alone_.

The truck looked worse now that the emergency had passed. It was lucky it hadn't hit the tree face on. First, because Gale was pretty sure they would all be dead if it had. Second, because the truck might still be salvageable.

Mellark walked around it and inspected the car with his phone's flashlight, becoming whiter and whiter with every new turn he took. "I'm dead. I'm dead, dead, _dead_."

"Look, your parents will be angry but it's not like they don't have the money…" Katniss awkwardly offered in a slightly miffed attempt at comforting him while still being very much pissed at him.

"I know a few things about cars." Gale added, with a little more tact. "I can help you fix it, maybe."

He wasn't thrilled at the thought of spending more time with Mellark than necessary but the other boy _had_ saved his life earlier.

Mellark didn't seem to hear either of them. He was staring at the truck, pale and stricken.

Gale had had no idea he was one of those people who cared so much about their wheels. Unless, of course, it had more to do with _him_ hugging Katniss in the church…

Gale and Katniss spent the next twenty minutes staring at Mellark while Mellark stared at his truck, all the while acutely aware that being so close to trees in a thunderstorm was dangerous on top of the whole thing being a little awkward.

Gale was relieved when headlights finally pierced the darkness and it was him who climbed back on the road to signal the car to stop. Trinket's car or not Trinket's car, he wasn't going to wait any longer for rescue.

It _was_ the Art teacher though. And he took a second to wonder how they were all going to fit in her Mini Cooper. He wasn't sure because he couldn't really see in the darkness but he thought it was _pink_.

Abernathy certainly had the pinched look of someone who had been forced to ride shotgun in a small pink car.

The man was out of the car before Gale could get more than a glimpse at his face through the windshield though. Trinket hadn't even properly turned the engine off yet.

"You're okay?" the History teacher asked Katniss and Mellark both – deliberately passing in front of _him_ without asking, Gale noticed. Once he was certain they were both alright, he let out a long whistle. " _Shit_ , kid, you weren't kidding when you said you wrecked it..."

Trinket was slower in getting out of the car and, when she did, she had an umbrella in her hand. She didn't look pleased to see him either. Gale tried not to take it too personally. They weren't his favorite people either.

"You took your time." Katniss reproached, burrowing further into her leather jacket.

"Would have been here quicker if the diva over there hadn't insisted on doing her make-up." Abernathy scoffed.

Trinket bristled. "My apologies. I had to keep busy while you were trying _not_ to faint with every step you took."

The teachers glared at each other.

Katniss rolled her eyes and pushed Gale toward the car. "Let's go."

Abernathy had to actually guide Mellark toward the Mini by the shoulder.

"You are not hurt, dear, are you?" Trinket asked him gently before the boy climbed in, sandwiching Katniss between the two of them.

Another awkward fifteen minutes to go, Gale figured.

"No. I'm fine." Mellark answered in a very flat tone. "Thanks."

"I can talk to your folks, if you want…" Abernathy suggested, once both teachers were back in the car and Trinket was driving toward town. "We can say you swerved to avoid me. Make it my fault. I can pay for the repairs…"

Trinket shot him a surprised look that the man ignored.

"It won't help." Mellark answered in that same flat tone. "Thanks, though."

The rest of the drive was spent summing up what had happened on both part. Since Abernathy and Katniss were both equally laconic people, it was soon followed by a very long silence.

"You're sure you don't want me to come with you and explain?" Abernathy insisted when they stopped in front of the bakery.

Gale didn't really catch what Mellark mumbled but it must have been a refusal because he took out into the heavy rain by himself.

Tension rose up a notch after his departure.

Abernathy's blatant hostility toward him was perhaps only equal to Trinket's obvious exhaustion. More than once Abernathy was forced to poke her arm so she didn't fall asleep behind the wheel.

All in all, it was almost a relief when he slipped out of the car and sneaked back into his family's trailer.

The night had brought a lot to take in and he needed the peace and quiet to let it sink in.

* * *

 _They beat the vampires! Yeaaaah! Now, what's going on with Peeta? Will they manage to destroy the amulet? Will Gale and Effie become part of the team? Let me know your thoughts!_


	21. E3: Outsiders (6)

6.

* * *

When Gale walked Katniss over to the mostly abandoned suburb in the heights of the Seam, he was still trying to process everything he had learned over the last forty-eight hours. He had barely made it through school the previous day, feeling entirely disconnected from the rest of his peers. Every time one of the teachers had asked a question, he had wanted to shout that he had fought _vampires._ Katniss had done her best to answer his questions but for every one of her answers, a hundred more interrogations imposed themselves.

Why was the Slayer a teenager girl? How was it _fair_?

Fate, apparently, _wasn't_ fair and she had stormed out in a huff when he had countered that it would make more sense to have someone older and more _trained_ doing the killing.

He wasn't sure what her feelings about being the Slayer were, he mused as they passed the once cheerful and now faded sign that welcomed them to _The Village_ – otherwise known as the stillborn dream of a wealthy elite.

He wasn't even surprised Abernathy lived _there_.

The place was like a ghost town. The houses had probably been grand once but now they just looked creepy even in the soft afternoon sunlight. Of course, the History teacher lived at the very top of the hill, in the very last house of the lane.

"Don't start nagging him." Katniss warned as they turned on his street. "And if Peeta shows up, be nice."

Mellark hadn't made an appearance in school the previous day and, apparently, Katniss had tried to check on him at the bakery that morning but had been chased away by his mother who had actually threatened her with a broom and a warning that they didn't give charity to scamps. She had ranted to Prim and him about it for a good fifteen minutes.

Abernathy was lying on his back in his driveway working on his bike. Not a sigh Gale had been expecting. It was a nice bike too. Not that he was going to admit that much. Katniss might have convinced him he wasn't a serial killer but there was still something fundamentally _wrong_ to sending young girls fighting battles against demons for you.

Besides, he didn't think the teacher liked him any better than he did.

Case in point, his face immediately fell when he spotted him.

"I liked the other boy better." Abernathy commented, extricating himself from beneath the bike. He wiped his hands on a cloth and didn't even acknowledge him. "Peeta's coming on his own?"

"I don't think he's coming at all." Katniss answered, folding her arms in front of her chest. "Maybe he's sick."

Abernathy frowned and stood up but before he could say anything the sound of an engine made them all look down the street. Gale thought they were all expecting Mellark to show up right on cue, with his parents' car or maybe even a new one – he had heard Mr Mellark had franchised two bakeries in nearby towns, after all – but it was a mover truck that stopped _directly_ across the street.

They watched heavy-built men carry down furniture and boxes into the house right in front of them.

"What's that?" Katniss asked, a frown on her face.

"Hell if I know." Abernathy groaned. "It's the third one today. Guess I'm getting neighbors."

"In _this_ place?" Gale snorted. "Right in front of your house? What are the odds?"

In his experience, coincidences _that_ huge weren't good.

The Watcher didn't look too concerned. Something between a smirk and a wince floated on his lips for a second. "Not in my favor." Then, his grey gaze darted to him as if he was seizing him up. "What are _you_ doing here, then?"

He shrugged. "Katniss said you were going to destroy that amulet… She said I could come."

When Abernathy looked at her, she simply shrugged too. "You invited Peeta. I didn't see what the problem was."

"My house ain't open to every boy who catches your fancy, sweetheart." he spat. "And it ain't gonna be a party." He waved his hand, sweeping that problem aside. "I told Trinket to show up. You should know."

Katniss made a face. " _Why_?"

There was a whine in her voice that made Gale hide his smile. His opinion of the Art teacher – who, as it turned out, was _also_ a Watcher _and_ a witch – wasn't stellar. She was odd. Arrogant. She strutted around school like she owned it. And, apparently, she wasn't even… _like them_. Were witches even _human_? His best friend hadn't sounded sure.

" _Because_ I don't like to do magic when I don't have to and since we've got a witch on hand, it seems stupid not to take advantage." Abernathy retorted. "And play nice with her."

If possible, Katniss' scowl deepened. " _Why_?"

"Cause she's more powerful than she knows and we might use her yet." her Watcher grumbled. "Don't be a brat."

Katniss' scowl was almost a childish pout now. It had been a long time since Gale had seen that particular expression on her face. Since they had been kids and their fathers had still been around to scold them. He wasn't sure he liked the influence Abernathy had on her.

But he could admit he had crossed a line.

Which was why he cleared his throat to get the others' attention.

"Look, Mr Abernathy…" he started, pausing long enough for the man to tell him he could forget formalities like he had obviously done for Katniss and Mellark. It didn't happen so Gale soldiered on. He wasn't going to be kept on the sidelines because the man didn't like him. "I'm sorry about the things I said."

"Which part? My molesting young girls or my killing them?" Abernathy deadpanned.

He was saved from having to give an answer that probably wouldn't have done anything to appease the situation by the arrival of a Barbie pink Mini Cooper that gleamed in the sunlight. The Art teacher's car went straight into the driveway of the opposite house.

" _Fuck_ , do I love never being wrong…" Abernathy sighed, his voice dripping with sarcasm while Trinket got out of the car and exchanged a few words with the movers.

Then, she hurried across the street, and Gale had to wonder how someone in their mid-thirties could wear a dress _that_ pink with a straight face. And what was up with the ton of make-up she felt the need to cake her face with?

"Don't tell me." Abernathy called out once she was within hearing range. " _Please_ , don't tell me."

She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at him with blatant disapproval. " _Hello_ to you too, Haymitch." She flashed a warm smile at the Slayer. "Katniss." Then her gaze fell on Gale and her smile froze a little. "And you are…"

"Gale Hawthorne." Abernathy supplied in a drill voice. "He's the new addition, seems like."

The woman's smile didn't slip or falter but her blue eyes turned a little cold. "I have been meaning to talk to you about _that_ …"

"I bet." the Watcher snorted, his eyes giving her a once over that was neither polite nor very appropriate giving that he and Katniss were standing right there.

"Hi." Gale said, uncomfortable with teachers flirting right in front of him. "So… You're moving over there?"

The question seemed to put an end to the weird battle of stares they had been engaging on. She startled a little and turned to him with another of those dazzling smiles that looked too bright to be genuine. She was like those girls at school, as fake as the likes of Glimmer…

He didn't trust her, he decided, and he would make sure Katniss stayed wary too.

"Why, yes! How convenient will it be?" the teacher grinned. "I could not remain in _The Capitol_ any longer, of course. They were _not_ entirely happy with my tornado story. So, I thought… If I have to buy a house, I should as well buy something _big_. And, as fate has it, the realtor directed me to this _charming_ little Village… I cannot _think_ why the project was not more popular. It is a shame to see these houses in this state of disrepair, really."

"And you _didn't_ know I lived right here." Abernathy taunted, eyebrows lifted high in mocked puzzlement. He sounded more amused than irritated however.

"I did _not_ have the _slightest_ clue until you texted me your address." she replied without missing a beat. "Imagine my surprise. You could have knocked me over with a feather!"

"Or a wrecking ball." The Watcher countered with a fake smile of his own. "Though, better not tempt me with that."

Mellark arrived almost unnoticed because they were too enthralled by the verbal sparring. He walked up the street with his hands in his pocket and his shoulders a little slouched. Katniss spotted him first.

"Where have you _been_?" she immediately demanded to know. "You weren't at school yesterday and I've tried to call you."

Mellark looked startled by her aggressive attitude. He looked up at Abernathy who was studying him with a frown, having apparently forgotten all about his fight with Trinket. "Sorry. I wasn't feeling well yesterday and I had to help out at the bakery today." He looked back at Katniss. "I didn't check my phone, I didn't think you'd need me."

"I didn't _need_ you, I was worried about you." she grumbled.

"Okay." he said flatly. "Are we doing the magic thing? I can't stay long."

"Sure." Abernathy said, still watching him with an attention that would have put Gale ill-at-ease. "Let's go inside."

Trinket didn't need much more of an invite, she immediately went straight in and Gale rolled his eyes when he heard her exclaim about ancient furniture and rustic charm in a very high-pitched tone all the way from the front yard. Katniss hurried after her, probably scared she would turn the place upside down. He wasn't sure she was wrong to be worried.

He followed at a slower pace, aware Mellark and Abernathy were hanging back and a little curious despite himself.

"You're okay, kid?" the teacher asked and, while he didn't stop to look, Gale could almost picture the hand the man had placed on the boy's shoulder. "How did it go about the car?"

"Not great." Mellark admitted.

"Your dad was angry?" Abernathy insisted, in a weird tone.

Gale had the feeling there were layers to that question.

"Dad's never angry." Mellark answered bitterly.

Gale rolled his eyes at how spoiled he must have been to get away with wrecking a car without troubles and quickened his steps to keep up with the others. The inside of the house looked big, dark and uninviting. It didn't exactly smell _fresh_ either.

"You want me to come over and explain?" Abernathy insisted. "Smooth things out?"

"No." Mellark _snapped_ with far too much heat. His tone morphed into something a little more subdued next. "Sorry. Look, I'm fine. Everything's _fine_."

Gale was following the voices down a corridor when Mellark pushed past him at a hurried pace. Abernathy wasn't as much in a hurry but he did catch up with him without problem.

"Don't snoop." the teacher warned in a low voice that didn't carry. "I don't like that."

Abernathy was gone through the doorway ahead before Gale could deny he had been eavesdropping.

He hadn't been ready for the library. It was two stories high and a wooden pathway with a carved balustrade overlooked the main floor, the walls were lined with bookshelves and there were even those odd sliding ladders to reach the higher books he had thought only existed in very old movies. It was impressive and it made him forget about his annoyance for a second.

There was a huge round wooden table in the middle of the room, half of it was covered with books and half empty bottles of liquor but a big space had been cleared in anticipation of the amulet's destruction.

Trinket was inspecting the jars and pots full of weird colored sands and herbs on the table.

"You're sure you're up to it?" Abernathy asked her. "You almost overdid it again the other night."

"Please." she scoffed. "This is _barely_ magic. A child could do it."

"Really?" Mellark asked, perking up for the first time.

"Of course." she hummed, her smile more genuine this time. "Creating a magical fire is more like alchemy, truly. No more than a mixing of ingredients… It does not require actual power but it does ask for meticulousness." She shot a look to the other teacher. "Which is why it is perhaps wise Haymitch called me. I do not believe _meticulousness_ to be one of his _many_ qualities."

She phrased it like it wasn't a criticism but the way she brushed her fingers against one of the bookshelves and then rubbed them together to get rid of the dust was telling.

Abernathy didn't seem bothered though. He simply stared back at her in a way that was _really_ starting to make Gale uncomfortable, a smirk on his lips.

Katniss tossed the amulet on the table, earning herself a disapproving look from Trinket, and then flopped down on one of the chairs. After a moment of uncertainty, Gale did the same. Abernathy leaned against one of the bookshelves with his arms crossed.

Trinket, though, waved Mellark closer. "Watch for now. Perhaps you can try it next time."

All in all, it was a little boring. Like watching his mother cook. She measured quantities on an old-fashioned brass scale and then tossed them in a flat bowl. It didn't look like magic at all.

"Does someone have a match?" she asked after a few minutes. "I forgot my lighter in the car…" Abernathy patted his pockets and came up empty while all the adolescents shook their heads no. The man was about to go look in his kitchen when she waved him off. "Never mind."

She flicked her fingers and a flame appeared dancing above her thumb.

Mellark looked in awe.

A cold sweat ran down Gale's spine. He glanced at Katniss and saw she was just as ill at ease with the display as he was. Another glance revealed that Abernathy, on the other hand, didn't seem bothered in the slightest.

But, then again, she didn't look like your typical fairytale witch and the man looked like he was well and truly under her spell. Clearly, Gale had been wrong to worry about Katniss being his next victim. If Abernathy had been a serial killer, Trinket would probably have been next, the way he was looking at her.

Unbothered by the close watch they were all keeping on her, she lowered her thumb to the bowl and snatched her hand away when the fire flared. The flames were a vivid emerald green.

"Here we are." she declared. "Magical fire."

"That's it?" Katniss frowned. "You barely did anything."

"As I said, alchemy is a lot like chemistry. Accessible to anyone who can read and follow instructions." Trinket huffed, a little vexed. "Now, for the delicate part…"

She tossed the amulet in the flames. For an instant nothing happened and then a thick smoke rose up toward the ceiling before dissipating. The fire snuffed out and they could see the amulet was broken in two on its bed of ashes.

They all stared at it for a minute and then Katniss scoffed. "Why did we have to be here for this?"

"'Cause it's good for a Slayer to be familiar with that sort of things." Abernathy snapped. "What did I say about being a brat?"

Katniss glared at him and stood up. "Are we training today?"

The man hesitated and then shook his head. "I want a word with Trinket. You're patrolling tonight though, I'll come."

"Fine." she shrugged and turned to Peeta. "You're walking back with us? You could come to my place. I'm sure Prim'd like to see you."

"I can't. I have to go back to the bakery." Mellark refused. "And I want to borrow a book so don't wait for me. If that's okay, Haymitch."

"Depends which one." Abernathy shrugged.

Somehow, Gale had the feeling if _he_ had asked for a book, the answer would have been a big fat no.

"Fine." Katniss snapped again. She grabbed Gale's arm and he let himself get pulled outside and back on the path home, his best friend glowering at his side. "I don't know what his problem is."

"Mellark's or Abernathy's?" he asked because, from where he stood, it seemed like everyone in that room had some sort of problem with someone else.

" _Peeta_." she retorted. "You said _you_ knew. The other night in the woods. You said you knew why he was being so weird all of a sudden."

He glanced back to make sure the other boy hadn't caught up or wasn't within earshot and then he shrugged. "Catnip, he's in love with you."

She stared at him and then scoffed, averting her eyes and keeping them riveted to the Village's welcoming sign in the distance. "That's _bullshit_."

"It's really not." he replied matter-of-factly. "Guess he's jealous because now… Well, I'm here now, right? You don't need him to have your back anymore. Even if he's the teacher's pet."

Katniss shot him an unreadable look. "He's my friend. He wasn't there _just_ because it was convenient, Gale."

The spark of anger in her grey eyes told him not to push. It irritated him because… Well… _Because_. It wasn't nice to toy with Mellark's feelings. He was an okay guy, after all. And Katniss… Katniss wasn't in love with Mellark.

He had always known Katniss had a thing for _him_.

Hadn't he?

A change of subjects seemed in order. "I thought witches were evil."

"Some. Not all." she explained, the scorn still on her face. "I don't know. Haymitch says Trinket's okay."

"That's because he's in love with her." he pointed out.

This time, she burst out laughing. She found it _that_ ridiculous. "Is there anyone who's not in love with someone else from your point of view?"

"You're a little hard to figure out." he honestly answered before he could stop himself. That put an end to her laughter and that brought them back on treacherous waters so he cleared his throat. "Fine. Maybe he isn't in love with her. But he wants to get in her pants. _Bad_."

She made a disgusted face. "You don't know a single thing about Haymitch."

"I know what a guy looks likes when he's attracted to a woman." he countered. "Just… Be careful around her, okay? Magic seems like the kind of things a Slayer should be fighting."

"And you're an expert on Slayers now?" she challenged.

"If I were, I'd find you a loophole so you could get out of it." he muttered bitterly.

She stopped walking and he had no choice but to stop and turn to face her, a little puzzled by the sudden stop.

"I _like_ being the Slayer." she snapped. "I wasn't happy about it at first, sure. I just wanted to keep Prim alive. But… I'm _meant_ for this. I've been chosen. So I'll bear it."

"Oh, come on…" he scoffed. "Fate doesn't exist. Nothing is written in stone. Maybe it's some sort of crazy mutation gene or something…" Anger flashed on her face and, next thing he knew, she was storming away down the road, forcing him to jog to catch up. "Don't be mad. I just wish…"

"What? That I was different?" she spat. "Well, sorry, Gale. I'm just me and I'm just doing the best I can."

She refused to say another word all the way back to the trailer park.

* * *

 _It doesn't look like Gale can be a good fit but Effie is_ certainly _doing her best to not be left out, isn't she? Haymitch gained a neighbor! Peeta is clearly having troubles... Katniss is oblivious... One chapter left in this episode ;) Let me know your thoughts!_


	22. E3: Outsiders (7)

7.

* * *

Effie trailed her nails on the spines of the books on one of the bookshelves, more focused on her manicure than on the titles under her fingertips. Her nails were painted a moss green with flecks of gold and the occasional gem. At least, the Seam had a good nail salon and that was already something…

She tried to look like she was inspecting the library content to give Haymitch and Peeta their privacy. The boy was borrowing an essay about Slayers written by a Watcher half a century ago apparently. She had read it, of course, because it had been part of her studies but she had found it _dreadfully_ boring. She didn't understand how a teenager could willingly submit himself to terrible prose and awfully misogynistic outdated ideas.

When it came to Slayers, Watchers' points of view were _often_ misogynic. And patriarchal. But, then again, for centuries Watchers had traditionally been men leading girls who had to swear complete obedience by the hand. They got used to it. Women in the Council were too few to change eons olds ideas and most of them were stuck in the past themselves. That, however, was not a popular point of view and she usually kept it to herself – unless Mags was available to listen to her rant. Tradition was paramount in the Council building. A wonder Coin became president of the board of directors…

"You're coming to patrol later?" Haymitch asked, walking the boy back toward the hallway and, she supposed, the front door.

"No. I'm grounded and I don't think Katniss wants me there anyway." Peeta replied. "She's got Gale now."

She wasn't sure what Haymitch answered to that because they had left the room and she didn't dare follow to eavesdrop. She turned to inspect another bookshelf. His collection was impressive even though she figured most of the books belonged to Mags. She stopped on the shelf that was home to the Watchers' journals, fascinated despite herself. She lifted her hand to touch and then let it fall without making contact. Some of those books were so hold they should have been manipulated only with silk gloves.

"Those are the originals, aren't they?" she asked when she felt his presence in the room again. "I only ever saw copies."

Thousands of records lined the wall. Some thin and some thicker. Some bound in leather and some made of fragile sheets of paper. She was pretty sure there must have been _scrolls_ from ancient Egypt somewhere in there.

She _might_ have been a little _obsessed_ with those journals when she had been a teenager. She loved to read about Slayers' victories. She loved to read about their death a lot less. It had reminded her too much that if she ever was called, her demise was assured.

"The original journals go to the active Watcher." he answered. "It's tradition."

She knew that, of course, but still. It was almost humbling to be so close to pieces of history. The fact that her name might have ended up carved on the spine of one of those journals if fate had dictated it another way sent a chill down her spine. It wasn't really a good chill.

She decided a change of topic was in order. "Are you training Peeta to become a Watcher? You know they would never accept him. It is cruel."

"Is it?" he scoffed. She turned around to face him. He was leaning against the doorframe, watching her with his arms crossed in front of his chest. "Ain't training him to be _anything_ , sweetheart. He knows about the real state of things and he wants to learn. The cruel thing would be to tell him to forget everything about it. I never believed in that stupid policy. I see its use, yeah, but I never found it really practical when you're not hiding in the Council's headquarters."

"Don't you wish someone had told you to forget?" she asked, a wistful note in her voice.

She knew he picked up on it because he let his guard fell a little. He watched her as if she was a riddle. It made her feel mysterious and she liked that.

He shrugged. "I've never been very good at burying my head in the sand."

"How unfortunate." she sighed. "I am _very_ talented at it but by the time I was free to do so in my youth, it was too late for me to find a place in the normal world."

And she still regretted it. If her mother hadn't so readily given her up to the Council… Although with Elindra's own activities, she would have been exposed to the darkness in the world all the same. But she might have found a way to pretend it was all a sham. She _did_ have a knack for lying to herself.

She swept that aside and let her lips stretch into a bright smile. "I believe you wanted a word?"

She walked toward the big round table, swaying her hips a touch more than strictly necessary. His eyes roamed over her figure again, just like she had known they would. She had picked the dress _especially_ because she had suspected he would like it. It was short and flowed around her thighs. The color might not have been to his taste but he had looked so disgusted when he had seen her car the other night that she had been unable to stop herself. She _did_ like pink. _And_ infuriating him, it seemed.

"What are you playing at, moving right across the street?" he asked.

He didn't move. Not even when she leaned against the table, barely sitting on it, her hands propped a little behind her, her head tilted to the side… An open invitation.

And he wanted to answer it.

But he wouldn't cross the room. Because crossing the room would mean she held the power and this tension between them was all about control.

She wasn't about to go to him either.

"Is thatwhat you wanted to talk about?" she retorted, her smile turning into a more genuine grin. "It is not the conversation I had in mind."

His smirk was slow but just as genuine. "We're gonna get to _that_ later."

They did not have to name it, she supposed. The attraction between them… It had reached potentially dangerous levels. She had felt it when they had been fighting the ghost. They had opened the pot when he had kissed her on the succubus hunt and they had stirred it when she had whispered a good luck charm against his lips.

The way he had looked at her when she had been shivering with only that frozen towel to keep her decent… There had been more urgent matters and he had done a good job at _not_ leering too much but she had seen him ogle her and she hadn't minded it one bit.

The problem was, it was a distraction and distractions wouldn't do on such an important mission as the one she was on. The Slayer came first, always.

"I might not be so willing to address that particular subject later." she pouted, straightening up.

"I'm gonna take my chances." he countered.

"How bold of you." she retorted. "Good luck with that gambit."

She meant to strode past him, her head high and a vexed pout on her lips, but suddenly, he was filling the doorway, looking _just_ a little panicked at the prospect of her leaving. She stopped and stared at him, refusing to be unnerved by the sheer built of him – he was tall and he had broad shoulders and he made her feel small and delicate. Truth be told, she was too aroused to be unnerved…

He was just so…

 _Infuriating_.

He refused to curb to her expectations of him and she had had _great_ expectations. He was coarse and boorish and he smelt like whiskey and grease – which might be because his hands didn't look that clean. If he had been anyone else, she would not even have given him the time of day so she really didn't understand why she was reacting to him like that.

Her own body felt treacherous around him.

Too eager to melt.

"Okay." he said, licking his lips. "Maybe we can have _this_ conversation first."

"Good." she breathed out. "Where is your kitchen? You need to wash your hands."

This time, he let her slip past him, amusement dancing in his grey eyes. "My hands need to be clean to talk?"

"Your hands should _always_ be clean no matter the circumstances. I _know_ Mags _must_ have raised you better than that." she retorted, trying a door on the right.

The layout of the house seemed to match her own except for the two stories library. In her own house, it wasn't a two floors open space but a study at ground level and a guest room upstairs that she would probably convert into an armory. There were too many guest rooms as it was in the house. She liked her space and she liked grand living arrangements but this was bordering on ridiculous. Those houses could have lodged five people – _easily_.

His kitchen was in a dreadful state and she wrinkled her nose at the sight of the unwashed dishes in the sink.

"You live in a pigsty." she declared.

"Guilty as charged." he snorted. Although, she was pleased to notice, he did go to wash his hands and he was even generous with the soap. " _You_ have a stick up your ass."

"You are _so rude_!" she gasped.

No one had talked to her the way he did before and lived to tell the tale. No one.

"And you're _arrogant_." he shot back. "If we have to list each other's finest qualities, we're gonna be here all day." He lifted his eyebrows and tossed her a mocking look. "Unless that kind of foreplay is what floats your boat."

This was a mistake.

She wasn't sure what she had been playing at trying to seduce him. She wanted it and she had never refused herself anything. When she wanted something, she simply went after it. Particularly men. Men were easy. Women were too most of the time. Haymitch Abernathy had been featuring in her fantasies for a long time and since he was obviously attracted to her, she had thought…

She had thought the best way to deal with the attraction problem was to fully face it so they could put it behind them.

But, attraction or not, he was _not_ the kind of men she was used to dating or even have one night stands with. He lacked class, he lacked subtlety and he lacked manners. It would be a disaster of epic proportions.

"I should go home and supervise the movers." she said abruptly and turned around. She walked fast toward the front door, the clicking of her heels barely louder than the frantic beating of her heart.

She was halfway down the corridor when his hand closed around her elbow, still wet. It left darker spots on the pink fabric of her sleeve.

"Trinket…" he hesitated.

He was blowing hot and cold in the space of one second and she wasn't used to feeling so uncertain in that type of situation.

She looked up at him, waiting for what would come next, half ready to tell him they should stop this game before it blew in both their faces…

In retrospect, she should have seen the kiss coming. And yet it still took her breath away. His mouth was firm, _warm_ , and when his tongue swiped against her bottom lip, she allowed him to deepen the kiss without a conscious thought. His hands tangled in her hair, tilted her head left… She clutched his shirt, tugged him closer…

She wasn't sure if he pushed or she pulled but soon she felt the wall at her back. The kissing was growing heated. His leg slipped between hers, pinning her to the hard surface, his hands left her hair and roamed down her neck, down her sides, went back up to cup her breasts… She gasped for breath and he took advantage of that to brush his mouth down her jaw.

"I had a thought…" she said.

"You _don't_ say." he chuckled, nibbling on a spot behind her ear that had her closing her eyes and letting her head fall back against the wall. "I had _a couple_ too… How kinky are yours?"

His hand slid up her thigh, under her dress… She wrapped her leg around his waist without much prompting…

"I am serious." she insisted, placing a fending hand on his chest that was in total contrast with the way her hips jutted forward, looking for friction.

He propped his forearms on either side of her head and leaned down to peck her lips. It wasn't innocent. One peck led to another and to another and she almost forgot what she wanted to say because suddenly they were aggressively kissing again.

"I think…" she continued when his lips left hers. She was struggling to open his shirt , slowed down by her fake nails. Not that it seemed to bother him much because he was nuzzling her throat, nipping at her collarbone. His hands were running on her sides and she had the feeling he was looking for the zipper of her dress.

"If you're still thinking, I'm doing something wrong…" he mocked. She whacked his arm and he snorted. "Okay. Let's hear it. Should have known you would be a pain in the ass _even_ about sex."

She pursed her lips and tossed him an annoyed glare. " _Well_ … I was going to say we obviously have an attraction and it might be a good idea to get it out of our system so it does not affect our professional relationship."

"Won't lie. Thought we were _already_ doing that, sweetheart." he taunted. He had finally located the zipper and he pulled it down. He didn't try to take the dress off though, he suddenly looked a little uncertain. "I ain't looking for _anything_ , though, you get that, yeah? This ain't gonna be a thing… Doesn't mean we're gonna date or some _shit_ …"

"Please. I was _not_ proposing." she deadpanned. "How old is this shirt?"

He seemed thrown by the change in topic and looked down at himself before shrugging. "You want to give me fashion advices _now_?"

She decided it was as good an answer as any and she stopped trying to work out those buttons to grab the fabric and pull. _That_ , her beautiful nails could handle.

Buttons flew off when it ripped and she didn't lose a second before kissing and licking the new skin available.

He coiled a hand around her nape and drew her head back.

"That…" he breathed out. "… was _hot_."

"Do not sound so surprised, it is _insulting_. I _am_ hot." she huffed. "Now get that dress off me."

"Bossy." he accused, slipping the dress over her head.

"Is that a problem?" she grinned.

"Not in this context." he chuckled. "Don't mind a challenge."

They stopped talking after that. There was too much exposed flesh to explore – and it was too important to fight for control. It got out of hands, _fast_. The kissing was dirty, the hands were almost brutal in their caresses, the way they rubbed against each other almost shamed her… They were like _animals_.

They tore the remaining of their clothes away, only happy once it was skin on skin. He was hard and throbbing in her hand by that point.

A distant part of her noted that there might have been parts of him that had disappointed her since she had met him but _this one_ wasn't one of them. _Thankfully_.

When he lifted her up, she hopped without question, wrapping her legs around his waist.

"Condoms are upstairs." he mumbled in her neck. She simply nodded, let him carry her, _trusting_ him to carry her up the stairs without tripping or killing them both.

It slowed things down a little, which was probably not a bad thing. She let herself explore his chest a little more thoroughly while he got them to the bedroom.

He had a collection of scars but the big swollen one on the right side of his stomach still looked painful even though she knew for a fact he had received it on the night of Mabel Larson's death, a good twenty-four years earlier. It was recorded in Mags' journals. He tightened his hold with his left arm and relocated her hand with his right one when she touched it too long. He didn't address it or tell her to stay away but she avoided the area afterwards.

If he had noticed her own scars, he didn't let on.

They were small and few because she despised physical fighting but you didn't work for the Council for more than half your life without getting a few scars. Most of them came from the time she had still been a Potential, not yet using magic as a mean of defense but forced to follow her Watcher's command when it came to fighting vampires twice her size without the supernatural strength of a real Slayer. They were imperfections on an otherwise perfect skin, a reminder of a time she preferred to forget.

He almost tripped at the top of the stairs and she found herself trapped against the banister. He captured her mouth again and she tangled her fingers in his hair, taking control of the kiss just because she could. He resisted and fought her for it right up until he must have decided it was more important for him to get her to his bed than to win a kissing contest because he gave in to her and started walking again.

He bumped into all the furniture on the way there and that made her giggle. The sound seemed to please him because he bowed his head to nuzzle her breasts, to hide his own smile she suspected.

Her neck and her breasts felt tender where he kissed, licked and nipped. She wondered if his stubble would leave a rash. She wondered how it would feel on her inner thighs.

His bedroom was in a worse state than the kitchen and she decided to ignore the heaps of dirty clothes on the floor, the abandoned bottles on the furniture and the stale smell in the air. It wasn't really hard because he was kissing her again and the rough calluses of his palms on her body were enough to thrill her. When he lied them both down on the bed, she let her hand drift south of the scar on his stomach and took the situation in hand again – so to speak.

She was gratified when he sucked in a breath and bit down on her collarbone. Clearly, he was liking what she was doing because she had him thrusting into her fist in seconds.

He grabbed her under the thighs, roughly tugged her higher up the bed so her head was on the pillow and then his fingers were between her legs and her eyelids fluttered close. She felt him reach blindly for the nightstand with his free hand, she heard him knock something over, a lamp or a bottle given the dull sound it made when it hit the floor… Not broken but cracked probably.

She reached up to arrange the pillow under her head because it was digging painfully at the base of her neck but her wrist was trapped in a tight grip before she could make contact. Her eyes flew open and she looked up straight into his grey eyes, confused…

At least until he let go and reached under the pillow himself to toss a hunting knife on the nightstand. She would have cut herself if he hadn't stopped her.

He waited for a second but, when she didn't say anything, he reached for the bedside table's drawer again.

She could understand why he would want a weapon close by at night. The only reason she didn't keep one was because she could summon a fireball at will.

Finally, he produced a square package with a triumphant smirk that was a little disproportionate. Looking at him, you would have thought he had just killed a hoard of demons by himself or something. She tried to hide her amusement but if she trusted the small bite of rebuke on her chin, she probably hadn't been very good at it.

She learned the planes of his shoulder blades while he rolled the condom on; she licked his neck and tested the scratchy feel of his beard on her tongue only to nip at his Adam's apple.

He didn't ask if she was ready or sought permission before entering her, although by that point she supposed it would have been redundant. She was more than ready and she was also obviously more than willing. Still, he gave her about three seconds to adjust before he started moving.

He imposed a hard pace, hard enough that their hips bumped with every new thrust, and soon enough she was making increasingly loud incoherent noises that culminated in a cry of bliss. He came with a grunt and collapsed on her a minute later.

For a while, the only sound in the room was their panting, then he slid off her upper body and to the side where he rested on his stomach, his face turned away from her. He hadn't slid enough that he wasn't still crushing her a little though, her left leg and her left arm were both trapped under him. She rolled on her side and hooked her free thigh over his ass, nestling her head in the crook between his shoulder and neck. He smelt like sweat and sex. She poked at his skin with her tongue, he tasted salty. Not entirely unpleasant though. His hand felt around for her ass and gave it a squeeze.

She had sort of expected to be kicked out of his bed as soon as the deed was done so it was a little unexpected to be allowed to cuddle.

It was entirely possible she dozed off for a few minutes. Her body was spent and limp, her mind was floating and she felt safe enough with his arm tossed over her as it was. She couldn't fall asleep though, she chided herself, no matter how surprisingly comfortable the uncomfortable position was: she had things to do. Haymitch wasn't asleep either. His body was far less relaxed than hers.

She started drawing patterns on his back, to test the waters. There were scars there too. She could feel them under her fingertips. Thinner, faded…

"Those things ain't nails, they're claws." he mocked but he didn't seem to mind her scratching his back too much.

She huffed. He tightened his awkward hold on her when he felt the puff of breath against his neck. It was an unconscious reaction and she liked it. She liked the way his body reacted to hers.

"Men are usually not _this_ broody after having sex with me." she teased.

She didn't ask if it was because he hadn't liked it. She knew he _had_. Not only because she was _that_ good but because it _really_ had been particularly good. They had chemistry. She had known it the first time she had put a foot in his classroom, the moment he had looked up at her from behind his desk. She had felt it like a hook in her guts.

"I ain't brooding." he scoffed. She let out an unconvinced humming noise that he answered with a sigh. "I _ain't_. It's just… Some stuff that kid said the other night. Kept circling back to it."

"The Hawthorne boy?" she guessed easily. He wouldn't have talked about Katniss with that much blatant hostility and she knew he liked Peeta. That left the new addition. "You do not like him."

"What's to like?" he scowled. "Thinks he hung the moon, that one. Probably thinks he'd make a better Slayer than Katniss too."

"Why do you tolerate him, then?" she asked, curious. "You're Katniss' Watcher. _Order_ her to keep him out of Slayer business. Where he does _not_ belong anyway."

"You obeyed every of your Watcher's orders when you were a Potential, sweetheart?" he mocked with fake sweetness.

Probably because he could guess at the answer.

"It is a Slayer's duty to forsake friends and family to fight evil." she pointed out. "It is _extremely_ rare for them to be allowed to still go to school, you realize."

 _She_ hadn't been allowed to. From the moment she had been detected as a Potential, it had been private tutors in between hours of pointless training. Lonely and boring. Is it any wonder she had sneaked out to bars and clubs as early as her fifteenth birthday?

"That's not how I do things." he countered. "And, yeah, you can report that to the Council."

"They are aware Katniss is still in high-school obviously." she answered, annoyed that he was bringing that up _then_. She would have liked to enjoy her afterglow. But perhaps that was why she was still there and he was keeping her half trapped under him. Pillow talk. "I have not, _however_ , informed them of her connections yet. I did not think it wise to tell President Coin you were allowing teenagers to fight with her."

"I ain't _allowing_ anything." he sighed. "Peeta wants to help. It's safer if I monitor than having him sneak around us and getting himself killed by his own ignorance." He paused and then she could hear the scowl in his voice. She wished he would at least face her. "The whole Slayers have to fight alone thing is _bullshit_ anyway. I've always tagged along."

"Well, a Watcher is allowed to assist." she admitted.

"No. I've _always_ tagged along." he insisted. "I was too young when my mother… But when Mags went out to patrol _after_ , when there wasn't a Slayer in the Seam anymore, I went with her. She trained me for it. I _asked_ her to train me for it. Think I got my first vampire when I was thirteen or something like it… When Mabel was called, I tagged along too. We were a team. Ain't a bad thing for a Slayer to have a team."

She considered that in silence, trailing her nails up and down the arm that was still around her.

"Perhaps." she hesitated. "I will observe some more before making that particular report." She had let herself get distracted from the original topic though. "What did Gale Hawthorne say that has you brooding even though I am naked in your bed?"

He chuckled. "You think a lot of yourself, yeah?"

"I like to believe I think just the right amount of myself." she grinned, bumping her nose against his shoulder. "Is it about his preposterous accusations about your relationship with Katniss? You should know it is all over the staff room but _nobody_ believes it."

She had made sure of it.

"Nah… Other stuff." he sighed. "Don't need you to play therapist, sweetheart. I've got my liquor for that. You can tell that to Coin too."

He moved before she could answer. So swiftly, she had no chance to understand what had happened until she was trapped under him, her arms over her head and her wrists wrapped in his big hands. His face hovered over hers. He was propped up only by his hips and his hands so it wasn't entirely comfortable for her but the pain was mild and she was a little excited to have him between her legs again.

"Isn't it out of your system yet?" she challenged, a twinkle in her blue eyes.

"How many men get it out of their system with only one ride?" he smirked back.

"A few." she offered honestly. "Not that many."

They stared at each other for a moment. She suspected he was liking the nonchalant way she was lying trapped under him. He was enjoying the power just as much as her refusal to give him the satisfaction of being afraid of him. She _liked_ having him on top of her. She could get used to it, she realized. Not that she would. Because this would remain a one time thing.

They would have sex again and then she would leave his house and they would put it behind them.

"Why did you move across the street?" he asked.

She laughed. She couldn't help herself. "Is this an interrogation?"

"Maybe." he shrugged, his thumb stroking her inner wrist.

"Peculiar torture technique." she teased. "Do you use it often?"

He didn't chuckle or play into the banter. His face grew serious. "You're a spy and I can't trust you. Did Coin order you to get closer to me? Did she tell you to get me into bed so I'd spill all my secrets?"

All the playfulness was gone all of a sudden and she was left gazing up at him, feeling sad and a little scared that he actually _believed_ that.

"I moved into that house because I thought then, _maybe,_ you would think about calling me before summoning a couple of teenagers when the next vampire cult wants to bring on the Apocalypse." she confessed. "I want to be _involved_ , Haymitch." She stopped and licked her lips before pursing them. "As for the other accusation… I do not know who you think I _am_ …"

"Spare me the offended act." he cut her off. "I know Coin. No sacrifice's too great. If she's told you to lie on your back and think of Mother England…"

She rolled her eyes. "I am _an American_ and if you believe that _why_ would you even…"

"'Cause you're hot and I needed to get it out of my system just like you said." he interrupted again. "Thing is, though, Trinket… How do I know what your real game is here?"

She opened her mouth and then closed it, not quite sure what she could say to convince him. To convince him of _what_ anyway? That she was on his side? _Was_ she? She was there on Council orders. And why would there need to be sides anyway? Weren't they all on the _same_ one? The side of _good_?

Haymitch's methods might be unconventional but they had been successful before, the Cresta situation notwithstanding.

"I want to help." she said again.

"Yeah…" he sighed, letting go of her wrists to sit up. "But help _who_?"

He was going to get up, leave the bed and she would lose any chance to explain herself…

She sat up too and grabbed his arm. "Haymitch, please…" He was kneeling between her legs and she almost wrapped them around him to keep him in place. But that would have been a mistake. He wouldn't thank her for feeling trapped. She swallowed hard. "Yes, I _do_ make weekly phone calls to President Coin but… That does not mean I… I simply want to do my job the best way that I can. Perhaps then I will be promoted. And, _of_ _course_ … I _told_ you I was interested in learning from you." She bit down on her bottom lip and met his eyes again. "The sex… The sex was because I _really_ wanted to. I have wanted to since before I even met you."

That last addition was, perhaps, one too many but she didn't regret it because the way he kissed her next took her breath away.

There was no finesse or patience to their next bout of lovemaking. It was not even lovemaking, truly. If she had been more vulgar, she would have simply called it _fucking_.

"Don't make me regret letting you close to my Slayer." he hissed in her ear in the middle of it. "I don't want to have to kill you."

But he would.

She knew that with certainty.

"I would never make any move against a Slayer, Haymitch. I am not suicidal." she retorted before sucking his earlobe into her mouth and biting down on it. Hard.

This time, when they were done, he rolled them over so she was sprawled on his chest. She supposed that mean she was free to go when she wished. She wasn't quite ready to just yet however. She wasn't sure her legs would carry her.

"What time is it?" she whispered. "I am having dinner with Plutarch tonight."

And her dresses were somewhere in a box lost in a sea of other boxes. She had had everything shipped from England in express delivery since it was clear she would be in the Seam for a long time anyway and she hadn't been there to supervise the movers. Who knew what they had done with the brand new furniture or her boxes?

"You often have sex with a guy in the afternoon and then go out on a date with another for dinner?" he asked. There was no jealousy or possessiveness in the tone, though. Simply amusement.

She made a face. "I do not _date_ Plutarch. It is work related. He wants to discuss the talent show."

"Oh, don't even talk to me about _that_ …" he groaned. "He's been trying to sweet talk me into organizing it. Ain't happening in a million years."

She felt his fingers play with her hair and she forgot to answer, simply happy to close her eyes and let herself be lulled to sleep by the steady beating of his heart. Not that she _would_ fall asleep.

"Thought you wanted to keep a close eye on the Hellmouth?" he asked, after a while. She thought back to the rotten tendrils of magic that had been so eager for her to use them back in _The Capitol_ and she shuddered. His hand stilled in her hair. "What?"

"I think it got too close an eye on me." she whispered. "There is more than one reason I wanted to move over here. There is safety in numbers."

Not that she needed _help_ or _protection_ but… She would feel better knowing there was another Watcher close by in case she was in danger.

He let out a long breath, his tone was reluctant but resigned too. "You should come to patrol sometimes."

"Really?" she beamed, glancing up.

She wasn't _thrilled_ about the prospect of a night stroll in a cemetery but being invited meant she would be accepted in the group and _that_ was the important thing. If she could make herself useful to the Slayer, that would reflect really well on her abilities.

"Don't look so chipper about it." he grumbled, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and flipping them over again so she was underneath him. She didn't protest, particularly when she felt the poke on her inner thigh. "So… Is the thing out of your system yet?"

Her lips twitched. "Is that a stake again?"

"Not this time." he smirked. "Last time wasn't either, to be honest."

She had known that. Or, at least, she had strongly suspected it.

"You have stamina." She grinned. "How am I supposed to get it out of my system if I know you have stamina?"

He chuckled and attacked her neck with the blunt of his teeth. She would have to wear a scarf to dinner. Or find a turtleneck somewhere.

"It's been a long time." he admitted. "Or maybe you're a sex demon after all."

"It must be that…" she joked. "I am simply _irresistible_."

"One last time." he warned. "Then never again."

"One last time." she agreed.

Then never again.

* * *

 _THE END_

* * *

 _Plot twist, effie might in fact be a sex demon ;) Who thinks it will never happen again? Raise your hand? XD_

 _So with the end of this episode we take a two weeks hiatus so we'll see each other again on the 31st for a very magical talent show!_


	23. E4: Make A Wish (1)

_And we're back with episode 4! Talent shows, magic and demons aplenty! I hope you enjoy!_

* * *

 **Make A Wish**

* * *

1.

* * *

Giving in to temptation once was the first step on the slippery path that led down to hell.

One of the Watchers who taught at the academy was fond of saying that. Haymitch wondered if the guy was still teaching and if, maybe, Trinket had heard the same words of wisdom in her time. If she felt their weight the same way he now did.

He took a sip of his tepid coffee and told himself he was being _stupid_. It wasn't because he was surrounded by teenagers that he needed to start behaving like one.

 _Seam_ _High_ 's auditorium was a square room with a stage, a backstage area and rows upon rows of plastic chairs that he strongly suspected dated back to when _he_ had been in high school. The red curtains that lined the stage were weighted down by dust and the walls could probably have done with a new coat of paint too.

Needless to say that Effie Trinket, her short tight cream skirt and matching silk blouse with her purple mid-sleeve jacket and equally purple heels, her blond hair pinned up in a crown braid and her flashy jewelry that caught the neon lights with every move, stood out like a sore thumb. She was standing in the middle of the aisle formed by the chairs, a clipboard hugged tight to her chest and she was watching one of the kids work on his Shakespeare monologue.

 _Talent shows_. A big fat waste of time.

He slowly made his way toward her, trying to make his coffee last. He had told her he would be there once he had had a cup and that had been almost a whole hour ago. He hated school projects. He hated _being roped_ into school projects even more.

He didn't know if it was _her_ idea or Plutarch's. She claimed it was the principal's but, at the same, time, she had been very interested in spending time with him as of late. It had been two weeks since they had slept together and he had been forced to fend off countless offers of carpooling and morning jogs.

Not that she was hinting she wanted more than just a car ride – or a bike ride – or a friend to run with in the morning. She was being very casual about the whole one-night-stand thing and he was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Either she _had_ gotten it out of her system and was now ready to be friends or she was trying to lure him into something more one car ride at a time.

He still wasn't sure he trusted her. He had managed to reach Finnick – _finally_ – and the only two things the boy had consented to tell him were that Mags was recovering as well as expected and that he could personally vouch for Trinket. So Haymitch had invited her to come along on patrol a couple of times. He figured it killed two birds with one stone: she got to report to Coin on Katniss' progress but it allowed him to frame the context as much as possible _and_ she was involved which was what she wanted.

Besides, watching her stumble around a muddy cemetery at night in the heels she refused to part with was hilarious.

"There you are!" she huffed when she spotted him. "Did you get lost on your way back from the staff room, I wonder? Should I draw you a map next time?"

"Hold your horses." he grumbled. "Ain't like you don't have everything in hands anyway."

She had plans, schedules, to-do lists and enough disapproving stares to toss around, she didn't need his help. There were so many kids running around the auditorium to do her bidding, he didn't see why she even wanted him there.

 _It's a two persons job_ , Plutarch had claimed.

She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at him in that very disapproving way that made the students cringe and run away to fix whatever mistake they had done. That look did things to him that were probably not right.

 _Temptation_. That was the thing. He wasn't sure why he couldn't seem to move on now that he had had her. She really wasn't his type. He didn't like blondes, he didn't like _fussy_ and he didn't like complicated. She was all three and more. And that was without mentioning the ridiculous bows on the back of her heels or the huge tissue flower on the right breast of her jacket.

In another life, she must have been a clown.

On stage, the kid was still slaughtering Shakespeare and, eventually, she sighed. "Is there anyone in this auditorium with a _moderate amount_ of talent?"

She kept her voice very low because most of the students who would be performing in the show were sitting on the first few rows of chairs in front of the stage, each clutching the color-coded schedules she had handed out when they had started this thing. It was only the first day of rehearsals and already he could see the disaster it would be in all its glory.

He snorted. "You really expected any?"

"Would you go backstage and check on how they are doing with the set?" she requested.

"There's any way I can say no without you turning me into a toad?" he mocked.

Her glare said it all and he wisely decided to pick his battles. Besides, if he played his cards right he could waste more time he should have spent actually _supervising_ this thing. As far as he was concerned, she was better at handling the _show_ aspect of things.

Stepping backstage was like stepping into a beehive. Most of the kids who were painting, hammering nails or who suddenly made their phones disappear in their pockets and pretended to be working at his sudden appearance were Trinket's Art students and it showed. They were efficient. Most of them.

"Everything's fine here?" he asked. He got a collective " _yes"_ /"yes, sir"/ "yeah"that he decided was good enough for him. "Good. Keep it up." He spotted a couple making out in the far back and rolled his eyes. "Keep it PG over there. Hands where everyone can see them."

He guessed that wasn't how Trinket would have done it but it made everyone laugh and that was what he had been after. The girl blushed and darted away anyway so he supposed it had done the job.

He spotted Hawthorne hammering planks together in the corner so he gave that spot a wide berth and approached Peeta who was painting the banners that would be hanged around the school.

He hadn't learned to like Gale Hawthorne in the last couple of weeks. The boy invited himself on patrol and while Haymitch was ready to admit he was good with a bow, he didn't like the way he always tried to get between Katniss and danger. First because it would get him killed – as he had told him _and_ Katniss several times – and then simply because it hinted that he didn't think the girl was competent enough to defend herself – which she _was._ The act was becoming old and he knew Katniss was getting as fed up with it as he was. She had stopped inviting the boy to come along but he showed up anyway.

It was part of the reason he had asked Trinket to come on patrol more often. The fireballs she summoned came in handy and so did the flaming arrows trick. Besides, it gave him someone to talk to when Hawthorne monopolized Katniss. He didn't like feeling like a third wheel and the boy clearly wasn't willing to learn anything from him – not even History if his grades were to be believed – he never asked questions and never listened to Haymitch's advices.

It took Peeta a while to realize the shadow that had fallen across the banner was his. The boy looked up and offered a hello but not much else.

"You've been a stranger." Haymitch accused, lowering himself to the floor on the other side of the banner so he could face the kid. Not that Peeta looked ready to look at him. He was hunched over and focused on his work.

"I've been busy with school and work." the boy answered, his fingers clenching around his paintbrush.

Had Trinket wanted something _that_ elaborated for the banners or was it Peeta's initiative? Usually spray paint and a simple "Talent show" followed by the dates did very well but Peeta was doing something a lot more complex than that with stylized letters and a very detailed background…

"So busy you don't even go to wrestling practice anymore?" Haymitch challenged.

Peeta frowned and this time when he glanced up, anger and disbelief were fighting on his face. "You're spying on me?"

"No." he countered calmly. "I'm worried so I'm keeping tabs. Noticed your car has been repaired…"

He had been seeing it in the parking lot for a few days.

"Dad had it fixed." Peeta mumbled. "And there's nothing to be worried about. I'm fine. I'm just…"

His sentence trailed off.

"Busy." Haymitch finished for him. "You're working at the bakery?"

"Yeah." Peeta shrugged. "I'm helping around."

"Is that how you got hurt?" he asked, already more or less suspecting the answer.

Peeta startled. His blue eyes darted up and back to what he was doing, betraying his alarm. "I'm not hurt."

Haymitch took a second, told himself not to rush this. He had been waiting for _days_ for the boy to come to him or, at least, to come over with Katniss so he could have a quiet word. Try to, at least. He had been working on and off as a teacher over the years, he had seen the looks before, he knew what to watch for. In the two months he had known the boy, there had been a few alarm bells but the way Peeta had held himself the afternoon they had destroyed the amulet… The way he had flinched away from the hand Haymitch had placed on his shoulder when he had never seemed skittish about it before… The overwhelming panic the kid had displayed on the night he had crashed his car…

It hadn't been typical _I wrecked the car and my parents will ground me forever_ panic. It had been deeper, far more primitive and rooted in terror.

"You've got burns on your arm." he said quietly.

Peeta's reaction was to yank down his sleeve to cover the half-healed burned marks. "It was an accident."

"Sure." Haymitch commented dubiously. "Ain't the first time though, yeah?"

"I work in a bakery. Sometimes you get burned. It happens." Peeta snapped. "Leave me _alone_. What do you want anyway?"

The kid looked ready to bolt and Haymitch chose to keep his peace for now. There was no point pushing too much or too far. It wouldn't be productive.

"You never come around on patrol anymore." he pointed out. "And we're still trying to find information on the Careers. Katniss's helpless at research but you've got a knack for it. We've missed you."

"She's got Gale now." Peeta snorted. "Why would she need me? He's _actually_ useful in a fight, unlike me."

Haymitch didn't think he really meant that. There was something else going on. Something that had to do with the burns on his arms.

He had been toying with the idea of paying his father a visit but he didn't want to risk making it worse for the kid. He had no proof, just ugly suspicions.

"Ain't like you to go down without a fight." he sighed.

"I can't force her to love me." Peeta replied and then, probably realizing just what he had let slip out – not that it was a huge surprise – he looked back down at the banner, his cheeks flushing red. "Look, I really need to finish this, so…"

"Right. Should probably go back out there before Trinket sends a search party anyway…" he snorted.

"She's not that bad." the boy half-chided, a little defensive. "I like her." He paused for a beat and then shrugged again. "She says I'm her best student, that I could really do something with my paintings."

He wasn't sure what her qualifications were when it came down to Arts. _He_ didn't really have a degree in History, that was the Council's cover story. For the boy's sakes, he hoped she was sincere and not simply being kind because he had the feeling Peeta didn't need to be crushed more than he already was.

"She's alright." he admitted, a little reluctantly. He was still wary of her but he was willing to give her a chance. Finnick vouched for her, that was good enough for him. He could give her the benefit of the doubt. "Look, kid… If you ever need somewhere to go or if you want to talk about something… You know where to find me, yeah?"

He didn't stand up until Peeta nodded. He didn't really like the thought of leaving it at that but for now there was only so much he could do. By the time he went back into the main part of the auditorium, Trinket was waving that clipboard as if she _really_ wanted to toss it at someone's head.

" _Do_ try to give it a little life, dear." she berated the Shakespeare kid. "This is _theater_. It should have some… _flair!"_

"Miss Trinket, it should be my turn now." Glimmer huffed from her front row seat, flicking her golden locks over her shoulder. "I _need_ to rehearse."

"My apologies, I _do_ hate being off-schedule too but some need more practice than others." she retorted. It was too much for the Shakespeare kid who ran off crying. Trinket cringed. "Well, now… This is show business… No need to get upset, it should be _fun, fun, fun_!"

Glimmer saw her chance and climbed on the empty stage, ordering one of the fanfare kids to sit at the piano in the corner. Haymitch took advantage of the diva teenager making her usual show to approach Trinket, he reached out to get her attention, his hand cradling her elbow without really noticing it.

"I need a favor." he said without much ado.

"Given that you have been leaving me alone to deal with _everything_ , it should be good." she retorted.

He gave her arm a little shake so she would stop watching the blond cheerleader who had started a not quite terrible rendition of a pop song to look at him.

"Try to get through to Peeta." he demanded.

"Ah." she said, understanding dawning in her eyes. "Then, I am not the only one suspecting a problem."

His expression darkened. "No. You ain't."

"I will see what I can do." The anger and worry that flashed on her face mirrored his and he started drawing soothing circles on her arm with his thumb without really noticing it. Or the fact that he hadn't yet let go of her. Her features slowly lost their angry edge and her lips stretched in a small grin. "I thought it was out of your system, Haymitch. Are you relapsing?"

He should have snatched his hand away and tossed a gibe her way. He used the grip he had on his arm to tug her a step closer. "Maybe. What about you?"

Her eyes were twinkling in obvious delight. Or maybe it was just amusement. "I try not to let that kind of… _illness_ bother me in a professional setting such as this."

"What kind of illness?" Katniss asked.

Haymitch startled and, this time, bolted away from Trinket, turning to face his Slayer. Her hunting skills came in handy a lot in her duties but sometimes he really wanted to tie a bell around her neck.

"Migraines." Trinket answered smoothly. "Is there… an emergency?"

Katniss had been vocal about what she thought of the talent show and the fact that she would _not_ be participating.

The girl let out a pained groan and made a face. "Heavensbee found us talking in the hallway and now we _have_ to do this _stupid_ thing. He said it would help us get more involved in the school's life or _whatever_."

Haymitch couldn't help an unsympathetic snort. "Welcome to my life."

"Yeah, well…" Katniss scowled, mostly at Trinket. Smart girl probably knew he wasn't the one doing most of the job there. "Put us backstage to help with the set or something."

"I do not really need any more people working on the set…" Trinket frowned. "But I _could_ use an assistant given how _unhelpful_ some people are." When she glared at him, Haymitch simply winked. It seemed to infuriate her even more, which was very good in his book. He _so_ loved pushing her buttons. "You said _we_ , who is with you?"

"Oh, Madge." Katniss shrugged, waving over a blond girl who had stopped next to the door to talk to another student.

Haymitch wasn't really paying attention.

At least, not until the kid was close enough to touch.

All the blood left his face and the only sound he could hear was the beating of his heart. He was barely aware of Trinket greeting the blond girl or loudly exclaiming two assistants would be better than one. His knees buckled and he reached behind him for one of the chairs before his legs could give in. Still, he collapsed on it so abruptly that a couple of other chairs were pushed away, one toppled over…

There were a lot of gasps and worried questions. The music stopped, the singing stopped, every eyes in the auditorium turned to him…

He could only stare at the ghost.

It _had_ to be a ghost.

Because Maysilee Donner was dead. He had _seen_ it. He had hold her hand until she had passed. He had hugged her body to his chest and vowed that he would never train any Slayer again. He had been there when her family had buried her. He still stopped for a moment every time they walked by her grave on patrol.

"Haymitch? Haymitch?" Trinket called, sounding frantic. Her fingers were working on the buttons of his shirt. She undid three and, when it didn't have any effect, she pressed her palm flat on his throat, under his Adam's apple. " _Breathe."_

It wasn't simply an order. He felt the magic ripple on him, forcing air into his lungs. He gulped and then did it again, feeling foolish for not having thought of _breathing_ before.

The ghost didn't fade or disappear. It wasn't shimmering like most ghosts did. It wasn't… She looked _real_.

Trinket's hand on his cheek turned his head away, forcing him to stop staring. He found himself looking at a crouching Art teacher instead. "Does your chest hurt? Are you having a heart attack?"

He could still feel her magic rippling over him and he wondered what she was trying to do. Figure out what was wrong with him? Save him? He didn't like magic working on him much usually but hers felt warm and left odd tingles in its wake, not in a bad way either. The way it wrapped around him was protective and he didn't even try to fight it off. Another puzzle.

"I'm calling 911." someone shouted in the background.

"No." he found himself protesting, gently but firmly pushing Trinket's hand away from his cheek. "No. I'm good. I'm _good_."

He pushed himself back up to his feet, shrugging Katniss off when she tried to steady him by grabbing his arm. He chanced a look to the right and there she still was, the living ghost, looking at him with sad understanding eyes.

"Maysilee?" He had to ask. He _had_ to. He knew it was crazy and impossible but they were standing on a _Hellmouth_. A Hellmouth on top of which she had _died_. Who knew what impossible meant in these conditions...

And there was the bird pin Katniss wore sometimes. The bird pin that had made his reappearance not long after Katniss had been called when the last Slayer who had worn it…

"I'm Madge." the ghost denied, shaking her head, her eyes a little teary. "Maysilee was my aunt."

He heard Katniss suck in a breath next to him, he heard Trinket suddenly shooing everyone back to work with instant understanding of what must have happened, he even heard Glimmer petulantly ask what she had thought of her singing…

"Do you _know_ about… _the thing_?" Katniss accused, her voice dripping with betrayal.

The girl… Madge looked between her and Haymitch with a mix of dread and hope. "I didn't _know_ it's true. I suspected?"

"So you were just trying to… _What_?" his Slayer scoffed. "You were _pretending_ to be friends with me?"

"Of course not!" Madge protested.

"Girls." Trinket cut in firmly. "Here is _not_ the place." She glanced at him. "Haymitch, do you…"

"I need fresh air." he muttered in a blank voice.

"Of course." she accepted readily. "Katniss, perhaps you could…"

"I need fresh air _alone_." he cut her off. "Stay away."

It was a warning as much to the other Watcher as to the girl and the stranger wearing a ghost's face.

He stormed out of the auditorium, not intending to come back.

°O°O°O°O°

Peeta watched Haymitch leave the backstage area to go back to the auditorium with what he hoped to be a blank face. He made sure his arms were covered properly before going back to work on the banner. He hated the thought that Haymitch suspected… Would he tell Katniss?

He had known he was in trouble the moment he had gotten a proper look at the car – deeper trouble than a vampire cult and a possible apocalypse. The memory of his father's sorry face when he had handed him the key of his newly repaired car a few days ago made him feel sick. More and more lately, the rage was building up inside and he hated feeling that way. He didn't want to hate his family.

"What did he want?"

Gale Hawthorne had left the corner where he was helping building a box for one of their classmates' magician performance and was now crouching next to him with his elbows propped on his knees, completely at ease.

Another person who made it difficult for him not to give in to hatred.

 _Hatred leads to suffering_. He smiled a little to himself, wondering if Katniss and Haymitch would have caught that quotation. He had been having a lot of fun throwing random pop culture references just to see them look at each other in ignorance and then roll their eyes in perfect unison. But that had been before, of course. Before Gale had followed Katniss to the cemetery and Peeta had felt like an awkward third wheel to his flying arrows and their dramatic hugging in the middle of a church in ruins.

Not that he could have risked blowing off a shift at the bakery to follow her out at night anyway. Not right now.

"Nothing." he answered, keeping his eyes on the banner. He could hear Glimmer singing on stage and while it wasn't _bad_ , it wasn't exceptional either. "Why?"

What did Gale Hawthorne care about what Haymitch had to say to him? He had already backed out on his own volition, for his own good. He would give it a little more time and then, when things had calmed down at home, he would go back to Haymitch's. He could help with research at least. He didn't have to go on patrol if Katniss didn't want to take him with them but he could still be involved somehow. He wanted to help for more reasons than his feelings for her. It was the right thing to do, if anything.

"He doesn't like me." Gale shrugged. It was an explanation and an accusation all rolled into one.

 _Maybe if you hadn't spent weeks accusing him of taking advantage of Katniss_ , he mused. He bit the words back though. There was no sense starting a fight over something that had clearly already been addressed between them. It wasn't his battle to fight anyway.

"Haymitch believes in tough love." he replied, focusing back on his work.

He had thought that would be the whole extent of the conversation but apparently not.

"Say, Mellark…" Gale hesitated and then cleared his throat. " _Peeta_." Peeta did look up in surprise at the unprecedented use of his first name. "Katniss told me you've been researching the Slayer thing?"

His first reaction was to glance around to make sure nobody had heard. Gale had taken care to lower his voice though.

He frowned. "Haymitch lent me a couple of books, I wanted to understand the whole thing better. I can give you a list if you want but I'm sure if you ask him…"

"No. I just…" Gale cut him off. He was nervously drumming on his leg and wouldn't meet his eyes. "I've been thinking and… In those books, did you find out how to put an end to it? How to call another Slayer?"

A ball of lead dropped in Peeta's stomach.

Katniss had explained to her best friend how the Slayer line worked that night in the woods already. Several times.

He could understand it had been a lot to take in, though. It had been for _him_.

"If another Slayer is called, it means Katniss is dead." he answered carefully.

Gale swept that away with a nervous gesture of his hand. "Come on, there _must_ be another way. A trick or a loophole or _something…_ This whole thing is madness, you can see that, yeah? She's going to get herself killed, she says herself that her lifespan is going to be short. There _must_ be a way to get her off the hook."

"If she ever finds out we're talking behind her back we're the ones who are going to get killed." he scoffed.

"I'm just trying to help her." Gale insisted. "What about magic?" The other boy sounded a little reluctant. "You looked interested the other day. There must be a spell that can take this Slayer thing out of her."

"Miss Trinket is the magic expert." he countered. "I've _barely_ read a book on minor spells. And even if we could take her Slayer powers out, where would we put them? I don't think something like this can be banished, it would have to be given to someone else. Assuming they're strong enough to bear it."

At least, that was how he understood the principle of magic but he might have been wrong. And it didn't guarantee Katniss would even survive the ordeal. Listening to Haymitch, fate was a treacherous _bitch_ and didn't like to be tricked.

"We could pass it on Abernathy." Gale suggested without a single moment of hesitation. "After all, he's all about demon fighting, right? Let him be the hero."

Peeta was becoming wary of the direction the conversation was going. It was sounding less and less theoretical and more and more like Gale was seriously considering it.

"Haymitch is a man and the Slayer is always a girl." he objected reluctantly.

"Trinket, then." Gale shrugged as if it didn't make a difference. As if one didn't matter more than the other. As if they didn't matter _at all._

"I'm not sure she would want it." he pointed out slowly, studying the guy's face.

"Who says we have to ask?" the other boy retorted. "Did _they_ ask before saddling Katniss with this?"

Neither Haymitch nor Effie had _chosen_ any more than Katniss had and Peeta was horrified by the very idea of what Gale was suggesting. "That's not _right_."

"Cause it's right for _Katniss_ to have to go out there every night and fight monsters?" Gale spat.

"Did you talk about it with her first or are you just sneaking behind her back?" he accused. Katniss had never hinted to him that she wanted to get rid of her powers. She hadn't been happy about being the Slayer, particularly at first but he thought she had come into her own after the first few weeks of transition. She enjoyed training with Haymitch and she viewed it like a job she was particularly good at.

The commotion in the auditorium prevented him from answering. Someone screeched, the music stopped… Peeta bolted toward the curtains that parted the backstage area from the stage without thinking twice about it, half expecting a hoard of vampires even though the sun was still up. What he found instead was a clutter of students urgently whispering together and staring at Haymitch who had collapsed on a chair, white as a sheet. Miss Trinket was crouching next to him, talking to him…

Peeta jumped off the stage but by the time he got close enough, Haymitch seemed to have recovered and was waving away offers of help. He obeyed the Art teacher's request to go back to what they had been doing because he wouldn't have liked being gawked out if he had almost fainted either. He climbed back on the stage since it was the quickest path to his abandoned banner, he hadn't expected to be cornered by a grinning girl.

"Did you hear me sing?" Glimmer asked.

She was wearing her cheerleader uniform and she was toying with a strand of her hair, her head tilted to the side, with a look on her face he recognized from countless flirting sessions at different parties.

"Yeah. It was cool." he said politely if a touch coolly. He thought Glimmer was going out with Marvel but they were always on and off lately. It was the drama their lives revolved around. Given how Marvel had been treating _him_ recently though…

The smile she flashed him was bright and she placed a hand on his arm. "I hoped you would like it… Peeta, this whole fight is so stupid… If you want to come sit back at our table at lunch…"

"Peeta!" Katniss called and, like a moth to a flame, he turned away from his former friend without a word to walk toward the friend he wasn't sure he still had. It didn't help that she was wearing her hair in one of those fancy braids that fell over her shoulder – Prim had probably done her hair because that kind of braid was her specialty. She looked lovely. Even with the worried glances she kept throwing at the door Haymitch had disappeared through. "Trinket wants to know how the banners are coming along."

"I'll have them ready by tomorrow." he promised.

"Okay." she said. She didn't walk back to the teacher though. She remained there and watched him, apparently torn between being angry and hesitant. "How are you?"

"I'm good." He cleared his throat and looked down at her scrapped boots. "You?"

"Good." she said a little harshly, as if to say it was no thanks to him.

The next stall in the conversation was very awkward so, all in all, it was almost a good thing when Glimmer stomped her foot. "Do you _mind_? I am trying to rehearse and you are hogging the stage. Shouldn't you go shoot a deer or something?"

She was glaring daggers at Katniss who glared right back. It was almost funny how different they looked… Glimmer was the typical bee queen and Katniss was wearing oversized pants and a simple loose green shirt that had never ever been fashionable to any teenager on this planet. And yet Katniss was prettier. To him, she was prettier than any girl at school. Perhaps even in the whole world.

It had always been like that.

"What's your problem?" she spat at Glimmer.

Glimmer sneered at her as if she was an old gum under her sole. "You should stop aiming too high. The fall is going to kill you."

It was perhaps lucky for Glimmer that Miss Trinket called her back at that moment because he was pretty sure Glimmer almost got herself punched.

He seized that chance to escape and go back to his uncomplicated painting.

Gale wasn't anywhere near his banners anymore.

The relief was overwhelming.

* * *

 _I hope you enjoyed this first chapter! Let me know your thoughts!_


	24. E4: Make A Wish (2)

2.

* * *

Katniss glanced at Haymitch's house before reluctantly making her way up the paved alley that led to Trinket's front door. She wasn't sure how she had done it but the front yard didn't look desolate or abandoned anymore, there were square flat stones that formed a path to the door and the outer walls and blinds had all been repainted – white and blue respectively. The house looked really nice and by comparison the state of disrepair of Haymitch's and the rest of the Village was even more glaring.

She glanced at it again before ringing the doorbell. The bike was in the driveway but the house was dark and she couldn't tell if he was there at all.

When the door opened, she turned back to face the Watcher witch.

"Oh!" Trinket exclaimed in surprise, her eyes darting up from her to Haymitch's house. "I thought…" She seemed to think better of voicing whatever it was she had thought and flashed her a bright dazzling smile. "Is there a problem?"

Katniss studied her. Anyone else might have considered jeans and a loose pastel shirt casual clothes but Effie Trinket didn't do casual even when she was obviously doing house chores. The jeans were skinny tight and the holes on the thighs looked studied, the shirt was pale blue silk even if it was stained with wayward spots of paint and her hair was still up in that crown braid that, Katniss had to admit, looked good. There was also a line of blue paint on her cheek, from chin to cheekbone that she was pretty sure the woman hadn't noticed or she wouldn't have answered the door.

"Haymitch texted me. I'm supposed to train with you today." she grumbled. Not happy about it at all. She had tried calling him, she had tried sending messages, she had considered skipping the training session entirely…

And then she had thought that maybe she could use the session to get answers out of someone who would be willing to give them. After all, Trinket was a Watcher too.

"Train. With me." Trinket repeated blankly, her blue eyes traveling from her to the house on the other side of the street again. "He did not mention."

"Did you see him?" she asked, worry slipping in her voice.

"Briefly when I came home." the woman sighed, stepping aside to let her in. "He was… _indisposed_."

She wrinkled her nose when she said it and Katniss rolled her eyes. "So, _drunk_."

Trinket hesitated and then closed the front door, shaking her head. "As a skunk."

"He doesn't do it often." she said defensively, eyeing her like a hawk. What would happen if the witch reported that incident to the Council? Would Haymitch be fired? Katniss had no intentions of following _her_ orders.

"He should not do it at all but it is neither here nor there." Trinket sighed, gesturing at her to walk further into the house. "And I suppose there were special circumstances today. _Come in, come in_. Would you like something to drink? I would not mind some tea."

"Yeah. Okay." Katniss shrugged.

She glanced into the living-room on their way to the kitchen, very curious. Two walls were painted a vivid shade of apple green, the other two a deep earth brown, on each walls big circles in the opposite colors had been added. The furniture was obviously brand new. The couch was white leather, there was a giant screen on the wall, the fluffy rug was a cream color, an electric fire had been added inside the fireplace and everything else was a mix of gleaming mahogany and glass.

The corridors were painted white with a red freeze on the very top of the wall and there were consoles with vases full of flowers or statues that managed to occupy the space without making it feel crowded.

She couldn't help but turn on herself to take everything in, gaping a little. The layout was the very same as Haymitch's house but it couldn't have looked more different.

The door that would have led to the library at Haymitch's was closed and she opened it to take a peek. Trinket must have heard but if she had an objection she didn't voice it. It was obviously an armory. Haymitch had countless weapons stashed in various caches, one in every room of the house – and he had made sure Katniss knew them all, even the ones in the bathroom – but Trinket obviously kept everything in there. There were strange shaped blades and ancient looking bows mounted on the walls, odd symbols shining a little on each of them… Some of them were exposed on red velvet cushions, encased in glass like at the museum… There were spots on the ceiling, to give them the best light… The walls in that room had been painted white and gold…

Katniss hadn't realized she had stepped inside until she was reaching out for the slick bow that looked like it was made out of a bamboo branch hanging on the wall. It looked very simple, too old to function really, but…

"The Bow of Destiny. It belonged to a samurai. It is said the arrows have the power to trap the soul of its victim." Trinket supplied. "It feeds on it."

Katniss abruptly jumped back. "It's alive?"

"Not in the way you intend it." she denied. "But some of these weapons are bloodthirsty. They are all enchanted. I had the rest of my collection brought over from England a week ago. You are welcome to borrow them but never touch any without checking with me or Haymitch first. Some of those are dangerous. Actually, I _would_ prefer you ask me first before borrowing them."

"Not a problem." she vowed. She would never _ever_ touch any of them. She trusted weapons that _weren't_ hungry for blood a lot more.

She followed Trinket to the kitchen where the kettle was starting to whistle. The kitchen had been painted a bright sunny yellow that was almost blinding to the eye. The cupboards, cabinets and appliances were all a gleaming white. Even the table at the center of the room was made of white lacquered wood. Katniss barely _dared_ sit down and she wasn't surprised that the tea came out of an ornate teapot and was poured in matching china cups with _actual_ saucers. She was careful not to spill a single drop.

"How did you do all this with the house in just two weeks?" she asked finally, when she couldn't keep quiet any longer.

Trinket beamed. "Do you like it?"

"It's… colorful." Katniss hesitated but when it came down to it she realized she did like it. It was bright and everything was obviously worth three times the price of her trailer but it wasn't as _in your face_ as it could have been. It was tasteful, for as much as she could tell – she wasn't an expert. "I like it."

Katniss looked down at the white tiles and noticed a very discreet yellow pattern running over them… Even the details were perfect.

The Art teacher looked genuinely pleased by that. "It is not done yet. The first floor is still a work in progress. Which reminds me... How are you with a paintbrush?" The question was almost sheepish. "I would _love_ to give you a training session, Katniss, but the problem – aside from the obvious fact Haymitch did not think to warn me and I do not have anything prepared – is that the gym is not operational yet."

"Are you putting it in the basement like Haymitch?" she asked, finishing her tea.

"Oh, is that where his is?" Trinket hummed. "No, I am having it on the upper floor. I suppose in his house it would correspond to the second story of the library. I do like to see the sunlight when I train."

"You train?" She frowned.

The woman blushed a little. "Well, I should not say _train_. I _exercise_ , really. I have to keep in shape. My figure, you see."

The witch brushed a hand on her very flat stomach with a nervous chuckle and Katniss fought not to roll her eyes. "Sure. Alright. What are we painting?"

Trinket seemed pleased that she was willing to stay and help, maybe a little relieved too. She supposed she hadn't been very nice to the Art teacher up until then. She had been annoyed when Haymitch had started bringing her on patrols, all the more so because Gale was already insisting on coming with them all the time and she had enjoyed having some quiet time with Haymitch before that. Now she was lucky if she hit a vampire at all. Gale was always shooting them before she could get close enough to land a punch. It irritated her. So, naturally, Trinket's intrusion had irritated her too.

She wasn't sure she liked the woman much. She was pretty sure she _didn't_. And the magic thing was creepy and would never stop to be – although she did like it when Trinket made her bow shoot flaming arrows.

It turned out Trinket had been painting her office when she had arrived. The witch gave her a tour of the first floor, pointing out where the gym would be – for now it was a bare room full of boxes – the pink guest room that she had yet to finish decorating, the completely redone bathroom and the office they were to work on. She described what she intended to do with it, where she was going to put the furniture and what kind of wood she had in mind, and Katniss couldn't help but think it _would_ probablylook good. In the end, Trinket steered her toward her bedroom, insisting on lending her some work clothes so she didn't stain her own.

Her bedroom was red and it was a little shocking at first. Like in the living-room, the colors were mixed. Two walls were a deep shade of crimson and the other two were white, there were dark artworks on the white walls and lighter paintings on the red ones… The furniture was made out of gleaming brown wood, and there were touches of red and white everywhere in the room.

"It is a little daring." Trinket admitted when she saw her gaping. "I _felt_ like having something daring but it might be a little too much…"

"It's… pretty." Katniss offered tentatively once she got used to it.

It would have looked tacky anywhere else, she suspected, like a brothel or something, but Trinket had made it look _classy_. She was starting to suspect she could make _everything_ look classy. She wasn't sure it was a good thing.

She followed her into the walk-in closet that separated the bedroom from the bathroom and this time, she openly _gaped_. The color theme in there was clearly pastel green and creamy white. Rows upon rows of dresses, skirts, jackets, pants and tops hanged from carved in rails, all color coded so it looked like a giant rainbow, there was a small round bench seat cushioned in pale green velvet in the middle, a shoe display that took half a wall, holes in the cabinet where purses were exposed… Discreet pale green spirals had been painted on the cream colored wood of the cabinets. It wasn't unlike the armory except this one had clearly been studied with a lot more love.

It looked like a shop.

Trinket laughed when she saw the expression on her face. "I am a little addicted to fashion."

"A little?" Katniss repeated, incredulous.

She wasn't really into shopping. She never had the money to indulge herself with pretty clothes and so she never even looked at that kind of stuff. She bought the cheapest pants and shirts she could find. Prim was more interested than she was and Katniss tried to get her something prettier from time to time than the secondhand stuff but… Her sister would probably have enjoyed being given run to play dress-up in this place even if she was too sensible to ever request it.

She reached toward one of the sparkly dresses on her right and then dropped her hand halfway through, half sure it was _haute-couture_ and she would ruin it just by touching it. Trinket's back had fortunately been turned to her and she missed the moment completely. She was rummaging through still unpacked boxes in the corner of the room. Katniss joined her, curious despite her best intentions.

"Here." the teacher grinned in triumph, holding out a blouse that looked similar to the one she had on. _Expensive_ , in other words.

Katniss shook her head. "It's okay. I can keep my clothes."

"But you might stain them with paint." Trinket argued. "Those are old rags."

The things in the box looked nothing like _rags_ and Katniss scoffed. "You're kidding, right?"

The witch frowned and then shook her head. "I am only keeping them until I am done with the renovations, they are out of fashion. I will give them away afterwards." Her face brightened up suddenly. "Do you want to have a look? You are welcome to anything you'd like. Oh, I know!" And before Katniss could stop her, she dropped the blouse and started rummaging on one of the racks. "I do not think we are the same size but it should fit well enough and if it does not… Well, I might or might not have memorized a whole book about tailoring spells. Ah, _ah_! Here!" She held out a soft yellow dress. "Try it on!"

The dress looked more expensive than any piece of clothing Katniss had ever owned and, at first, she refused to even _touch_ it. Trinket wouldn't take no for an answer though and she wasn't happy until the Slayer was wearing it and was standing in front of one of the floor to ceiling mirrors in the walk-in closet. Trinket arranged her hair up and grinned.

"You look _splendid_." the witch offered.

She did look pretty. _Innocent_ , almost.

"You will keep it." Trinket decided.

"But…" Katniss argued.

"No, no, no. I will _not_ hear otherwise." The woman clucked her tongue. "The color does not suit me anyway. I do not know what I had in mind when I bought it. I will not miss it." She gave her a nudge toward the boxes. "Have a look through that, if you wish. As I said, I am simply going to throw them away, they might as well find a second life…" Katniss opened her mouth to protest but Trinket didn't give her time. "You have a younger sister, do you not? Perhaps you can find something in there she might like as well. I have a rather small build. It might fit. And, if not, I _do_ know a few spells as I told you…"

It was the weirdest training session Katniss had ever had. She did find herself going through the boxes, if only to make the woman stop harassing her about it. She was reluctant to try on or accept anything at first but Trinket was so casual about giving them out, like it truly did not matter that the clothes were obviously expensive, and she was so vocal every time Katniss found a piece that suited her really well that she ended up with an entire box full of clothes to take back home. Half of it was stuff she thought Prim might like.

It was a bit late by the time they were done but Katniss insisted on helping her with the painting as a payment of some kind – entirely unnecessary according to the teacher but she was reluctant to accept anything for free.

"Did you get a chance to have a word with your friend? Madge, was it?" Trinket asked after ten minutes spent painting in silence. The office was to be white and blue. Trinket was painting the white wall, Katniss was handling the blue one perched on the ladder.

"Not really." Katniss shrugged. "She said she found her aunt's diary a while ago but she didn't know if it was real or not. She started getting suspicious a little after I was called but she was still not sure it was all real. Not until today.." She had seen her hide a stake in her locker a few days before the party at the Capitol. Apparently, Katniss hadn't been as discreet as she would have liked. "That's why she gave me her aunt's pin, in the first place…"

"Would that be the bird brooch you sometimes wear?" Trinket asked. She confirmed and the witch let out a thoughtful hum. "So it used to belong to Maysilee… Did you know there is a spell on it? I can sense it. It is mostly faded though…"

"What kind of spell?" she frowned, a little worried. She had trusted Madge up until that talent show rehearsal but now… She didn't know.

"A protection one. It is white magic, do not worry." the woman dismissed. "I could look into it, if you wish, try to see if I can recast it."

She wasn't sure she wanted that but she didn't see a polite way to tell her no either so she simply shrugged and continued with her explanation. "She didn't know Haymitch was the same Haymitch from her aunt's diary. And I guess… She said she didn't mean to spook him. She sounded sorry."

"The poor girl is not to blame, I suppose." Trinket sighed. "It is not her fault she looks so much like her aunt."

Katniss waited for the lecture about how she should do a better job at keeping the Slayer thing secret but it never came. Trinket seemed lost in her own thoughts and she almost left it at that. Almost. "Miss Trinket?"

The witch startled a little. "Oh… You can call me Effie, please. We are not at school."

It was maybe a little more familiar than she cared to be with the woman but if Haymitch was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt… Maybe she should too. Magic notwithstanding.

"You've… studied Slayers, right?" she hesitated.

Trinket placed the paintbrush in the can of paint and wiped her hands together, looking at her with an inquisitive face. " _Of course_. Do you have a question about your powers?"

"No." She shook her head, dropping her own paintbrush. "I was just wondering… Haymitch never talks about…" There was no way to ask the question without it sounding like she was snooping behind her Watcher's back but, at the same time, she really wanted answers. "Haymitch's mother was a Slayer, right?"

Trinket studied her for a long moment and then nodded. "Yes. She was. Iris Abernathy. By all accounts one of the _finest_ Slayers of the last century. She is the first Slayer who truly made a difference against Snow. He killed her in the end but she hurt him badly enough that it took him _years_ to recover."

Katniss didn't like lingering on Snow too much. They had been waiting for the other shoe to drop, for Cashmere's threats to take a more concrete turn… The prospect of having to fight a master vampire that had killed as many Slayers as he had… It wasn't a joyful one.

"How old was he when…" she whispered, not even finishing her question.

"Iris had just given birth when she was called. An _accident_ , as I understand it. There is no father on record and her parents had kicked her out so Mags… Her Watcher… Took her in with the baby." She sighed. "Haymitch must have been five when she died, I believe. Perhaps six? I am not _quite_ sure."

"And his brother?" Katniss insisted. "He said he had a brother but…"

"His brother…" Effie hesitated. "Are you _certain_ he would not answer your questions? I feel odd speaking about that. Although… Of course, it is not _a secret_. His life is _all over_ the Watchers journals." She waved her hand in the air, dismissing her own objections. "I will stick to the broad lines, shall I? He can fill in the rest if he so wishes." She paused and leaned her hip against the only place in the room that wasn't covered in fresh paint: the window. "Are you familiar with Snow's history?"

"I know he's a master vampire which means he was sired by one of the last demons to walk the Earth…" she recounted. "Haymitch told me he was near unstoppable and he likes to think of himself as an emperor or something."

"Yes, well…" Effie pursed her lips. "Unlike your typical demon, he did not want to trigger an apocalypse and bring the old ones back. He wanted to _rule_ Earth so it is no wonder he eventually ended up here on the Hellmouth. The town was his for centuries. He controlled most of the state, really. Not openly, of course, but… Let us just say people knew better than to come out at night." She nervously played with one of the rings on her finger. "Snow liked games. _Arenas_. He captured people, demons, witches… Anyone he thought strong enough to give a good show. He built his empire on it. Monsters that old… They often go crazy. He grew obsessed with the idea of capturing a Slayer. A lot of his loyal servants deserted him at that point, afraid he would bring doom upon them all."

Trinket, Katniss decided, had a way with words when she wasn't simply chatting to fill the silence. She was riveted to the story even if the picture she painted was terrifying.

"When Iris was called on the Seam, the Council took it as a sign." Effie continued. "A rogue Slayer right on the Hellmouth…"

"Rogue?" Katniss frowned. Her frown only deepened once the Watcher had explained the whole concept of _Potentials_. The idea that the Council gathered girls from all around the world, some of them babies, just because they could possibly one day turn into a Slayer… It was _chilling_. She understood better why Haymitch didn't like them. "Why didn't they send another Slayer before? I mean if it was _that_ bad…"

"Because they knew none of them would be a match against Snow and they were unwilling to sacrifice them on a suicidal mission." Effie answered. "You _have_ to understand… Lately… And when I say lately, I mean the last century or so, we have been out of luck with Slayers. A lot of us fear the balance has tipped toward evil. Slayers survive one year, two at most and then get killed." Katniss flinched and Effie immediately reached out to squeeze her shoulder. "Haymitch has _the best_ survival rate of all Watchers. Johanna Mason reached her twentieth birthday. His Slayers… They survive the odds."

"But not forever." Katniss snorted. She gently shrugged her hand off and folded her arms in front of her chest. "Okay. So how does that relate to Haymitch's brother?"

"In her second year as a Slayer, Snow captured Iris and tossed her in that arena." Effie explained. "She defeated her opponents, managed to start a rebellion and eventually escaped. According to Mags' journal she came back to the house, worse for the wear and with a baby in her arms. She claimed to have found him amongst the few humans Snow kept in the arena as fighters and food. Mags told me later sending him to an orphanage would have meant sending him back to Snow. He liked eating children." Effie, at least, seemed to share her disgust. "So… They kept him."

"And what happened to him?" she asked. "He said he died."

"Snow turned him. A little before Mabel Larson's death, I believe." Effie answered. "Tormenting Haymitch had become a twisted game of his at some point down the line. I think Haymitch was the one who staked Hayden but I am not sure. The journals are laconic about that and the subject was painful for Mags so I never pried for the details."

It was horrible.

She imagined herself having to stake Prim and… She hugged herself tighter.

"And Mabel…" she insisted. "She was his girlfriend, right? She was another Slayer."

"Mags' third Slayer and her last, yes." Effie confirmed. "As for her relationship with Haymitch… He will tell you about that himself if he so wishes. It is an open secret but… _Still_. I do not feel comfortable discussing his love life."

Which told her everything she needed to know, really.

"And he became a Watcher despite… everything?" she murmured. He had lost his mother, his brother and his girl to this life and still he…

"Oh, it didn't happen _right away._ " Effie objected. "After Mabel… Mags decided they needed to leave, go back to England. I think she was trying to _protect_ him, really. With Iris gone, Haymitch was the next best thing. Snow liked toying with him, he was a little obsessed… Old creatures are not that _sane_ , he played a game of cat and mouse and Haymitch proved to be an apt mouse. But sooner or later, he would have tired of it and killed him. Mags knew that but Haymitch had other ideas."

"He wanted to stay and fight." Katniss guessed.

"Perhaps." the witch offered. "I do not know the specifics. All I know is that when he was almost seventeen, he skipped town with another demon hunter and they spent a while doing freelance jobs. Then Mags managed to convince him to come back and had him enrolled in the Watcher Academy. He graduated in record time and was chosen to be the new Slayer's Watcher when a rogue one appeared in the Seam – Maysilee. It is my understanding that Mags refused the assignment so he was the one with the most experience about the town and Snow. It seemed like fate, I suppose."

There was a real touch of respect to Effie's voice and Katniss realized she _genuinely_ admired him.

"Then, of course, he came back here and there was Maysilee… The Slayer who died stopping Snow." Effie concluded. "You can imagine why he would be so… _upset_ about her memory."

"I guess." she answered. It was a lot of information and a lot to think about. She almost wanted to cross the street to give Haymitch the hug he so obviously needed but she knew he wouldn't appreciate it. And he could be nasty when he was drunk. She glanced at the window and noticed the darkening sky. "I need to get going. I have to go home to check on Prim before I go on patrol."

"Oh, give me five minutes to change and I will drop you off." Effie offered. "I should go with you on patrol."

Katniss winced. "It's not necessary."

"Are one of your boys coming with you?" the woman challenged.

"They're not my boys and I _don't_ need them." she cringed. "I can handle myself."

"Well, of course, you can." Effie huffed. "You are _the Slayer_. I simply meant you might enjoy some company." The woman frowned and placed her hands on her hips in a very displeased pose. "Have those boys been hinting you are _not_ capable?"

Katniss stared at her, looking for the deceit and then realized Effie was _not_ lying. She one hundred percent believed that she could go out on patrol by herself and she was simply offering to keep her company. The fact that she could probably set a vampire on fire if things got out of hands was simply an added bonus.

"Fine." Katniss granted, simply because she was tired of feeling Gale's worried eyes on her back and she could have used some _positive_ support. "Come along."

"Great!" Effie beamed. "It will be a girls night! Oh, where did I put my leather pants…"

It didn't take her five minutes to change but closer to half an hour. Katniss didn't see why she needed high heels and a sparkling top to go hunting vampires but in the last couple of weeks she had learned not to question her patrolling outfits. Haymitch spent half the time mocking her about it anyway to the point she had developed the suspicion he just brought the woman along as a distraction.

She wasn't very happy to let Effie inside the trailer but she needed to check up on Prim and while the witch seemed resigned to wait in the car, it seemed a bit harsh after the time they had just spent together. She was _extremely_ reluctant though, particularly after she had seen what her house looked like, but if Effie was shocked or troubled by the modest interior, she didn't let on.

Katniss suspected her manners didn't allow it.

Prim was delighted to meet her though and not short of questions about magic. She was even more thrilled once Katniss told her about the box she had brought in. Effie looked so happy at the warm welcome that she even stopped acting so uptight to laugh along with the twelve year-old. She also tossed curious glances at the closed door of their mother's bedroom but was too polite to ask the obvious question.

"Why so glum?" Effie asked, after they had left again and were on their way to the cemetery.

She deliberated between answering or not and then shrugged. "Gale will probably be there and he will shoot _all_ the vampires. Again."

Effie glanced at her and then pointedly turned the car left, on the opposite direction of the graveyard. "How about we patrol through town instead? I know Haymitch prefers keeping the fledgling population under control but there are plenty of vampires to be found in dark alleys."

She had never thought about that. They focused their patrols around the cemeteries and the woods.

Who knew Effie Trinket could actually teach her some things?

As it turned out, it was slightly different to fight vampires in the streets and in narrow alleys but she saved a few people and she had the gratifying feeling of actually _making a difference_ once they both decided to call it a night. The witch made a few remarks about her fighting style that she took under consideration, which seemed to make her happy.

She still wasn't sure she liked Effie Trinket.

But girls night wasn't as terrible as she had feared it would be.

* * *

 _So... Katniss is learning to like Effie quirks and magic and all... What did you think about the glimpses in Haymitch's backstory? I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Let me know!_


	25. E4: Make A Wish (3)

3.

* * *

Haymitch was slumped on a plastic chair at the very back of the auditorium, regretting most of his life choices. It was a hobby he had become very good at. Presently, though, he was brooding about how stupid he must have been that morning to beg Trinket for a ride to school. Or maybe he had just been desperate. The headache and the hangover _still_ hadn't eased yet so he really hadn't been in any place to ride his bike and since he had already missed work the previous day – not that Plutarch had minded given his fainting spell the day before that – he had dragged himself into the shower and then across the street.

Trinket, as it had turned out, had not only looked relieved to see him but had given him a _running commentary_ all the way to the high school about the _great_ bonding moments she and Katniss had shared the two previous days to the point he had almost regretted sending his Slayer over to her two days in a row. When he had asked her if she could kindly _shut up,_ she had started briefing him about the talent show. Eventually, he had figured out her high-pitched chatter was her idea of a punishment for leaving her alone to deal with everything.

The whole day had been _hell_. It had dragged by and he had given up on the idea of actually teaching to show each of his class ready-made documentaries. The kids didn't mind a nap in front of a boring video and neither did he.

It had done him little good though.

He popped another pill in his mouth, hoping that one would be the one to kill his headache, and closed his eyes, trying to ignore the awful sound of the kid currently playing guitar on stage. Trinket's shouts over the noises he hesitated to call _music_ weren't helping.

The students, at least, had learned to leave him alone after he had yelled at Glimmer loud enough that she had burst into tears. Maybe he shouldn't have but the cheerleader's constant whining that it wasn't fair that Trinket had given the best performing spot – apparently, performing last was _the best thing in the whole world_ – to Livia who was simply doing a ballet demonstration had irritated him to death. Another popular girl with a ego huge enough to fill a room and who could complain like no other. The argument had swollen until he had lost his already frail temper. Did he look like he cared who performed when? He just wanted the dreadful thing to be over.

Glimmer had wailed on Marvel's welcoming shoulder, Livia had sauntered away triumphant and _he_ had been ordered to sit and be quiet by a very irritated Art teacher. He didn't see what she was upset about. He had said _her_ word was final. She should have been happy to have his support at all. It wasn't his fault she was running herself frayed by getting too involved in a stupid talent show nobody expected to be great anyway.

But, with her, everything _had_ to be great. _Grand_. _Fabulous_. Anything less than perfect wouldn't do.

He rubbed his face and tried to doze off but the lingering presence at his side was setting off all his alarms and since the student wouldn't be ignored, he opened his eyes and glared. Only to freeze when he recognized Maysilee's niece.

Now that he was over his shock, he could see the differences. There were many but none was glaring. If you weren't looking for them, she could have passed for Maysilee's exact copy.

He forced himself to relax, mostly because the kid was squirming on the spot.

"I wanted to apologize." She rushed the words out in a shy voice. "I didn't know… I didn't mean to upset you the other day."

"Hardly your fault, sweetheart." he pointed out.

Madge's lips stretched into a relieved smile. She glanced at the empty chair next to him but, when he didn't invite her to sit down, she kept on nervously swaying on the spot. "I… My mom never talks about her." Her mom, from what he had heard through the grapevine, had never really recovered from the loss of her twin. He remembered her mother like a bright girl, a lively – and lovely – one. She had stayed lovely and she had remained bright but she had buried her liveliness in the ground along with her sister. Madge took a deep breath. "I was hoping you would."

The request took him aback even if it wasn't such a surprising one. He was a direct source of information on her aunt and she wanted to know more… Katniss had told him about the diary she had found, she must have had a lot of questions…

But talking about Maysilee? Explaining _everything_?

"I don't know." he said honestly. He wasn't sure he would be able to do it, never mind to someone who looked so much like her. "I'll think about it."

He was saved from having to say anything more by the piercing scream that did nothing to help his headache. Still, his body moved before his mind even registered it, and he ran in the direction of the distressed shout. Katniss beat him, of course, and Hawthorne and Peeta were hot on her heels. Trinket arrived a few seconds after him with a crowd of curious students and grabbed his arm to steady herself. Apparently, she could fight in heels but running in a high school hallway required help. That, or maybe he wasn't the only one who had _temptation_ problems but he didn't have time to ponder the thought because Livia was standing in the middle of the corridor, hiding her face behind her hands and _screaming_ her head off.

"What is wrong, dear?" Trinket worried, reaching out for the girl's arm. "Are you hurt?"

It took a while and a lot of negotiating before Livia accepted to lower her hands. Haymitch tried to shoo the other kids back into the auditorium, half certain all the fuss was over a spot or something – he _hated_ the drama the popular kids always got up to – but the students were too curious and resisted his attempts. And, then, of course, Trinket got her to show her face and everyone gasped and screeched, a few laughed, a few immediately took pictures…

Haymitch turned to see what the problem was and could only stare, wide-eyed, at the huge warts that covered her cheeks, forehead and nose.

"Everyone back in the auditorium." Trinket's voice was hard and authoritative. "Put these phones away. If I hear about or see _one_ picture circulating I will make sure you have detentions until the summer holidays, are we clear? Haymitch."

The order was obvious and while he scowled in her direction to let her know he didn't like being bossed around, he _did_ shoo the students back in the room with a little more strength. He didn't even try to tell Katniss, Peeta and Hawthorne to go back though.

"She needs a doctor." Trinket declared once they were all alone in the hallway. Livia had gone back to hiding behind her hands and sobbing her heart out. "Gale, please, run and fetch the nurse. Katniss, Peeta, inform Principal Heavensbee if you would."

The kids ran in different directions to obey her orders and Haymitch took advantage of that to try and take a closer look. "Doesn't sound really natural…" Warts on a Hellmouth, though? It could be anything from the signs of impending apocalypse to a beauty spell gone wrong. "Say, girl? You did something? Put something on your face?"

The teenager was too upset to answer and Trinket made soothing noises, waving him off. "We won't get any answer until she is calmer. Please, can you go back inside and supervise? Show must go on."

A few warts didn't qualify as an emergency for him so he did go back inside, preferring to oversee the rehearsals than take care of a sobbing girl. Trinket had been running such a tight ship that he mostly only had to sit and watch while the kids followed the rehearsal schedule she had designed. Peeta, Katniss and Hawthorne only slipped back in the room after a long twenty minutes.

"Heavensbee is furious." Katniss explained to him.

"Her parents are both on the town council." Peeta winced. "I know because Mom's too. They're pretty influent."

Hawthorne made a face that clearly expressed what he thought of wealthy people and their problems. Haymitch might have approved if he hadn't been so instinctively opposed to that boy's opinion.

It was a while longer before Trinket managed to escape Plutarch and his questions. She immediately put an end to rehearsals and waved everyone out, looking both exhausted and irritated. For the third time, he regretted having ridden to school with her. She spent the whole drive home venting about how Plutarch had made it look like _her_ fault as if she had the power to prevent warts from appearing on someone's face – to be fair, she probably _did_ but the principal couldn't know that.

He had never been so happy to escape her presence than when she stopped the car in her driveway.

He closed his front door and told himself he was glad for the silence in his own house. He tried to tidy up a little the result of the previous day's binge and then simply gave up. It took all his will not to drown himself at the bottom of a bottle, as it was.

He was glad when Katniss showed up for her daily training even if she kicked his ass flat on the gym mats every time. She was really becoming good and he could already see the shape of the great Slayer she could be. Assuming she survived the Careers and whatever they were planning to do… He let her go home a little before dinner with instructions to check in with him after patrol so he knew she wasn't dead in a ditch somewhere.

He took the books outside and read on the back porch for some fresh air, hoping to find more information on the elusive Careers. He had given up on the Watchers journals and had started hitting less reliable records. He had just _finally_ found a brief mention of Enobaria when he heard the footsteps entering his backyard. It was overgrown with weeds and mined with holes because of the family of moles that seemed to find his garden the ideal home.

The night was a little cloudy but not enough that he didn't smirk at the sight of Effie Trinket trying to pick her way through his unkempt yard with her heels and short skirt. She was ridiculous. And yet, he mused, letting his gaze trail over the apple mint green skirt and white and black blouse, she made ridiculous look good.

"Lost your way, sweetheart?" he called out when she was a reasonable distance away. He could just see her pinched face as she inspected the ground in front of her before each step.

"I knocked on your front door, you did not answer." she retorted. He lifted the book in his hand as an explanation and let it fall back down while she sighed. "Yes, I surmise as much. I would understand your strange liking to reading outside better if it was warmer and if your back yard did not look like a wasteland."

"I'm thinking it's missing a rusty car. You know. To _really_ get that wasteland vibe." he mocked. "Might put it on the front yard, though. Let you admire it every time you look through the window."

She shot him a glare. "Don't you _dare_."

His smirk deepened. "Don't _dare_ me unless you're ready to deal with the consequences, Trinket."

She tilted her head to the side, her lips pursed and her eyes narrowed, clearly deliberating taking him up on that. In the end, she started picking the safest path to his porch again. He was pretty sure she would insist on crossing through the house to get back to the street and he was already wondering if he would grant her passage or just force her to walk out the same way again. It depended on how much she annoyed him, he supposed.

"Are you planning to join Katniss on patrol?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I'm still trying to find out more about the Careers. No luck on your end?"

"I have been asking around my contacts at the Council but so far nobody can tell me anything of substance." She sighed. "I am hoping that, perhaps, once she is recovered enough, Mags might have more information."

He didn't let himself linger on Mags. Mags was recovering as fast and as well as expected. She would be forever diminished and wouldn't thank him for abandoning his Slayer and jumping on a plane, even if she was still too weak to get on the phone with him. Well, she _might_ thank him… But only after she had kicked his ass.

 _Fuck_ , but he missed Mags.

He had outgrown her guidance long ago – or, at least, he liked to think he had – but he still had made it his duty to check in with her every few weeks. She was the closest thing he had to a mother and he loved that old lady fiercely.

"Well, I found out Enobaria never shifts back to her human face." he offered. "She likes her fangs too much, apparently. That's the only thing we've got so far. Won't help us." He tossed the book to the side and rubbed his face. "You're _sure_ they will show up? It's been close to two months since Katniss dusted Cashmere."

"I am not _sure_ of anything." she protested, finally reaching the porch. She stood right in front of him. He might have minded looking up at her if it hadn't been such a nice view. "But it does sound likely. If anything, they will want Cashmere avenged." She hesitated before letting out another sigh. "I should not tell you because it is not certain but my contacts tell me Gloss was spotted in Northern Ireland a couple of weeks ago. He was after a book."

"Hell portals for dummies?" he guessed.

"A book that describes an ancient ritual." she added. "It is all I know so far, nobody can give me more details. But if we believe Cashmere, their objective is clear. Perhaps they separated… If Cashmere was scooting here and Gloss was looking for that book… It is possible Enobaria and Brutus are searching for other things to help them complete the ritual."

That sounded probable enough. And it was really bad for their case.

He would contact Chaff, he decided, see if his best friend could track them down. It would, at least, give them an idea of where the Careers were and possibly a timeframe to prepare for their arrival.

"You ever thought about what your life'd be like if you weren't stuck fighting evil?" he snorted. He had tried to sound flippant but he simply ended up sounding tired.

He _was_ tired.

And not just because he had spent twenty-four hours swallowing all the liquor in his house. It just sounded so… futile. They had stopped Snow at greater prices than he could name. It should have been the end of the story. Heroes riding in the sunset and bad guys dead in the ground. Instead the heroes were dead and the bad guys lived on.

Maysilee's niece wearing his first Slayer's face hadn't helped that feeling.

"I would have become a model." she answered immediately, too quickly for her not to have pondered the thought before. Perhaps as many times as he had. "I would have been _extremely_ famous. I would have worn glamorous dresses, go on red carpets every day and have _scandalous_ affairs with men half my age. It would all have been…"

" _Fabulous_." he teased, tugging on the hem of her skirt.

He hadn't really meant anything by it. He just liked annoying her. He suspected if they had been children, he would have spent his time pulling her pigtails.

Her dreamt life was a silly one. On par with her personality, though. And she was definitely beautiful enough to _be_ a model, she was smart enough to manage it too.

"Exactly." she grinned, batting his hand away with a mischievous smile. "What about you?"

He studied her face for a moment and then leaned back on his hands, tilting his head up toward the cloudy sky. He could barely guess at the stars that night. "Sad thing is… There's never really been a choice for me."

Not unlike a Slayer, he hadn't really had a say. He had been born into this life, had grown up carrying knives and stakes, had learned to fight watching his mother train even before he had learned to walk… Mags might have supported him if he had chosen an entirely different path but it had never even occurred to him that there _was_ a life outside of demon slaying. _Normal_ wasn't for him. It just had never been in the cards.

"Mine was made for me." Trinket commented slowly.

She averted her eyes when he glanced at her, uncomfortable to have given so much away maybe. He draped himself in his sarcasms but he had the feeling _she_ used her cheerfulness as a wall to keep the rest of the world at a distance. He had lost his mother young and then his brother and his girlfriend but he had _had_ them before they died and Mags had never let him down. He had lost his family but _they_ had never given him up. He wondered how that must feel to be given up like that, to be told that you are now a potential Slayer and that you not only had to leave your old life behind but that, if you were Chosen, you would probably not survive more than a few years, to be offered in tribute on a sacred altar. Being handed over like you didn't matter… It couldn't be fun.

Maysilee had sort of given up on her family too. To protect them. She had kept her twin at arm length and he knew that had pained her more than anything else because they had been inseparable before she had been Called.

"You've got copies of the Watcher's journals?" he asked and when she nodded with a small frown, he clarified. "Even Maysilee's?"

Understanding flashed on her face. "You want to give a copy to the Undersee girl? The end is… A little gruesome."

He hadn't been in a good place when he had written an account of Maysilee's final battle. He hadn't spared details and he hadn't been shy of expressing how utterly _shitty_ the whole situation had been. If the Council had allocated more resources, if there had been more help, if they had chosen a more experienced Watcher to begin with, if he had done better, been quicker, if…

"She wants to know." he shrugged. "I can't tell her."

She watched him for a moment, he felt the weight of her gaze on him but he kept his face tilted to the sky. "Would you mind if I redacted some of the details out?"

He shook his head. "Go crazy."

"You should not feel guilty over her death." she offered in a soft uncertain voice. "I have read your journals more times than I can count. There is _nothing_ you could have done differently."

That was a matter of opinions. He had been responsible for Maysilee. However he didn't feel like explaining that to her.

The wind picked up and he caught a whiff of her perfume. It was musky with a touch of something fruity, probably expensive… Extremely intoxicating.

It left him parched for something that wasn't alcohol.

He brushed his fingertips against the side of her leg slowly, leaving her plenty of time to run away if that was what she wanted. They had agreed it wouldn't happen again. They had agreed that… _He_ had insisted that it would never happen again.

"Anything I can do for you, Haymitch?" she asked, the humor clear in her voice.

"Don't suppose you could make me forget my whole shitty life for a while?" he half-joked, letting his hand slide behind her thigh.

"Memories spells _are_ tricky." she hummed, dropping her head to the side, a smile on her lips.

He tugged on her leg and she stepped closer until she was towering over him, one foot on either side of his. "There are different kinds of magic."

She giggled. It should have been ridiculous for a grown woman to giggle but with her it simply sounded endearing. "You _are_ relapsing."

"Seems so." he shrugged, his fingers tracing a burning path up the back of her thigh. He lingered at the hem of her skirt but when she didn't protest he continued on his way up, delighted to realize whatever she had on under that skirt, it wasn't panties. "Hard disease to get out of my system."

"Any particular symptom?" she taunted.

"Yeah." he snorted. "Sight of you makes my pants _real_ tight. Worse when you try to boss me around."

She grinned. "Oh, Haymitch, I do not _try_ to boss you around…"

He had time to determine her underwear was most likely a thong before she sat down on his lap, straddling him. It wasn't his favorite position, he didn't like not being in control, but it felt so good to have her pressed on him like that that he kept his tongue. All the more so when she deliberately added pressure where he needed it, his eyelids fluttered close but he fought it even as his head dropped back a little. He wanted to watch her, the mischievous grin on her lips, the spark in her blue eyes, the shadows the dark night tossed on her face…

It was stupid to play that game outside where any passing vampire could attack…

And yet, it added to the thrill…

Maybe because he knew no normal vampire was a match against the two of them.

"I may have relapsed myself." she confessed, biting down on her bottom lip.

"Symptoms?" he asked, his hands slowly running up her legs and to her sides. It had been so rushed the last time, eager and rough with need. He wanted to take his time, that night. He wanted to take her to the edge and back just to torture her a little. He wanted to watch her come apart on his tongue. He wanted a lot of things. _Temptation_. Once you got a taste…

"Your voice makes me _embarrassingly_ wet." she whispered, covering the hands he had placed on his sides. She guided one of them between her legs.

The kiss they shared next was more teeth and tongue than anything else.

Temptation.

He didn't even try to resist it.

* * *

 _Is there magic afoot or is it just Haymitch being bewitched? Let me know your thoughts!_


	26. E4: Make A Wish (4)

4.

* * *

"Why are you avoiding Peeta and Gale?" Prim asked, in a serious tone that meant troubles.

Katniss groaned and rolled her eyes, not particularly surprised by the question. She had been dodging it for a while now and with her sister perched on the couch behind her while she sat on the floor so Prim could do her hair, there was no running away from it.

"I'm not avoiding them." she denied although that might have been a bit of a lie. Prim remained silent, clearly waiting for the whole story, her fingers deftly working on the braid. "Peeta is avoiding _me_. And Gale…" Gale was becoming annoying in his obsession to play knight in shining armor but that one she kept to herself. It felt disloyal. In the end, she just shrugged. "I don't need them anyway."

Prim hummed an unconvinced little noise. "Maybe Peeta thinks you like Gale better."

"Gale is my best friend." she pointed out.

"Gale doesn't like that you're the Slayer." her sister argued with far more clarity than Katniss would have thought. But Prim had always been mature for her age, circumstances obliged, and she had always had a keen eye.

By reflex, Katniss glanced at their mother's bedroom. The door was open but Aster was knocked out because of her meds. Her doctor had left another message on her phone about having her stay at a clinic for a while, insisting that it would help her recover a lot more than staying there…

She considered lying and pretending she didn't know what Prim was talking about but if even her sister had noticed…

"He thinks he needs to protect me." she snorted. "It's insulting."

"Maybe he liked you best when you needed his help." Prim suggested. "Now you're a superhero and he's not."

"I'm not a superhero." she argued, scowling a little. "I'm just…"

"The Chosen One." her sister mocked with such emphasis Katniss could _hear_ the capital letters.

"I'm not Harry Potter, little duck." she teased.

"No." Prim answered, a little more seriously. "You're the Slayer and I think it's _awesome_. Peeta _never_ said you couldn't or shouldn't do it." True, but there was an odd tension with Peeta that she couldn't really explain. Was he really in love with her like everyone said? Was that why he was avoiding her now? She missed him on patrol. He was funny and unlike Gale he didn't treat her like she was made of glass. Prim wasn't done though. She tied up the braid and placed her hands on her shoulders. "Don't let Gale tell you what you can or can't do. Even if you love him."

She was uneasy with that word, always had been. The only person she knew for sure she loved was Prim. Everyone else… Everyone else had to come second to that.

"How did you become so wise?" she joked, hoping to make the conversation lighter.

"Internet." Prim deadpanned. They laughed and then her sister wrapped her arms around her neck from behind. "Be careful on patrol."

"I'm always careful." she promised. "Don't open the door and don't let anyone in."

Those instructions didn't need to be given again. After the short hours she had spent as Cashmere's hostage, Prim was more careful than ever. When Katniss shouldered her bow and walked out the door, she was very confident her sister would remain safe and sound during her absence.

She _wasn't_ surprised when Gale fell into step with her as she was about to leave the trailer park.

"Are you avoiding me?" he asked, after five minutes of silence. Gale wasn't someone who minded long silences so the question must really have bugged him.

"No." she lied. She hadn't gone out of her way to seek him out at school.

"I thought you'd patrol the cemetery but I haven't seen you around for two nights, now." he pointed out.

She didn't like having to explain herself. She adjusted the strap of her quiver and sighed without much patience. "I was with Effie. She likes patrolling in town."

Given that Haymitch had been unavailable again the previous day – a nice euphemism for _drunk_ – she had gone to Effie's place again. They _had_ trained this time – well, mostly, Effie had tossed fireballs at her head in the backyard, forcing her to dodge and get close enough to engage her, up until Katniss could do it without getting singed – and the witch had offered to come around on patrol again so they had set off in the direction of the woods this time, so they would be able to loop by the Hellmouth on their way home. There _was_ something like too much quality time with Effie Trinket though and she was happy Haymitch was operational again. Training with him that afternoon had been great.

"Effie?" He made a face. "I thought we didn't like her."

 _We_. Katniss didn't want to be part of a _we_. She was very content being an _I_.

"She's not that bad." she retorted, maybe a little too harshly. She didn't like Effie _that_ much.

"She's a witch!" he scoffed, incredulous.

"She's part of my team." she snapped, without thinking twice about it.

"I wasn't aware we were a _team_." he mocked. "Seems to me like we're the ones doing the vampire cleaning while Abernathy makes moon eyes at her in the background. When they bother to show up at all." Katniss gritted her teeth and quickened her steps. "Wait!" he called after her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean…"

"Yeah. You _did_." she cut him off. "I don't know what your problem with Haymitch is…"

Gale stopped walking and scowled, lifting his arms before letting them fall. "He did this to you. That's my problem."

Her jaw clenched. " _He_ did nothing to me. Do you even listen when I explain stuff? Slayer powers don't work that way. Fate…"

"Fate doesn't exist." he argued. "And if it does, I'm sure it can be cheated."

He sounded too proud of himself for thinking of that option, as if she hadn't wondered about it herself in her bed in the first few weeks after seeing her first vampire. But that was the coward's way out and she couldn't take it. Not when Prim was looking up at her with so much pride in her eyes. Her sister had decided she was a hero and so a hero she would be.

Heroes didn't take the coward's way out.

"I don't want to cheat fate." she snapped. "I am the Slayer. Deal with it or go home."

She left him standing there, striding down the street that would take her to the cemetery with an angry scowl on her face. It didn't fade when he eventually fell back into pace with her, mostly because he didn't apologize or say anything more and she just knew the argument wasn't over.

They made a quick sweep in the graveyard and killed a few vampires – not that it _was_ a competition but she managed to shoot them all before he could notch his arrows – and then she decided she would take the long way home by making a detour in the heart of town. She didn't inform Gale of that and he didn't ask what she was doing. He simply followed, silent and unshakable like a shadow.

Anger was stirring deep in her belly, increasing with every new step she took. When they ran into a group of four vampires coming out a dark alley, still in demon faces, she was almost happy to forego the bow to engage them physically. Gale lacked range and had to let her do most of the work and _that_ felt good even if the vampires weren't a real challenge. She really was getting good at dusting them. Gale was seething by the time she staked the last one and she was certain he wanted to tell her she was taking too many risks.

She strode away before he could say anything.

She was becoming better at _feeling_ the presence of vampires, it was like tingles on her nape. There was, however, no tingles for demons and she hadn't been expecting one to appear from behind trash bins in a deserted street not too far from the square. She didn't dodge in time and found herself flying in the air, only remembering to curl up into a ball and roll to absorb the landing because of the long hours of training when Haymitch had made her fall again and again until she learned to land without breaking anything.

"Katniss!" Gale shouted.

She jumped on the demon before he could get it in his head to try to fight him himself. It was taller than a human would have been, only vaguely humanoid, his arms were longer than his body and he stood a little hunched over like a gorilla, his eyes glowed red and it was hairy. And strong. Very, very strong.

There was no skill to his fighting so she decided he wasn't really smart. Some demons were clever, some were closer to animals, Haymitch had told her that much. This one clearly ranged in the second category.

It was only when he sent her flying again and she landed in the trash bins he had come out from that she spotted the body. It was a homeless woman with frizzy white hair and blue eyes that didn't see anything anymore. She looked unhurt, no wounds that she could see, but she was very dead.

The demon let out a roar or something very close to it and she struggled to get out of the sea of upturned garbage and to reach Gale before he could get himself killed. He was shooting at the creature but the arrows seemed to glide away as if its fur was thicker than it looked.

She dropped the bow and the quiver so they wouldn't bother her and took out her stakes before attacking it again.

"Get out of the way!" Gale ordered, still shooting the useless arrows.

She ignored him and kicked, dodged and stabbed. Focus was _paramount_. The problem was, the stakes wouldn't pierce the skin. One of them actually broke and she tossed it away without a blink, to concentrate on _punching_. Her knuckles bled long before he tired. He flung his big arms around, roaring some more…. She managed to stab him in one of his red eyes. It might not have been much of a plan but she figured that if she pushed the stake deep enough it might pierce the brain and kill him. She might even have finished him if Gale hadn't come at her from the side, pushing her away.

She hadn't expected it and hit the pavement _hard_.

She _had_ been expecting the clawed arm aiming at her head and _would_ have avoided it however.

Gale didn't.

All in all, it was lucky that she had managed to hurt the demon. With both of them on the ground, he fled. She would have pursued him if Gale hadn't let out a pained moan.

"What the _fuck_ were you thinking?" she hissed, glancing around.

Lights were being turned on inside the nearby houses and she didn't want to get caught next to a dead body and an injured classmate. She crawled closer to him to get a look at his wound. It was bleeding a lot, his leather jacket and his shirt were both torn from shoulder to elbow. That wasn't the kind of scrapes they could patch in her kitchen, nobody the wiser.

"What were _you_ thinking?" he retorted. "That _thing_ was going to kill you!"

"No, it wasn't." she growled, shaking with fury. "I almost _had_ it. I was going to…"

"It was too strong." Gale cut her off. "You couldn't do it. You _can't_ keep doing this. You _can't_. This isn't a comic book or a TV show. This is _life_. You're going to get yourself killed. You _can't_ do this."

She opened her mouth to tell him just where he could shove his concern when he bundled the lapels of her jacket with his good hand and pulled her forward. Another thing she hadn't been expecting that night: to be kissed for the first time.

She gave in to it for a second and then she shoved him back, even more furious than she had been a minute earlier if possible. She hauled him up to his feet, deaf to his pained gulps, grabbed their weapons, and dragged him away from the scene of the crime before people came out of their houses to investigate. She let go of him two streets away and let him slid down the dirty wall of a back alley while she rummaged through her pockets for the phone she didn't always remember to carry around.

Prim had developed a habit of slipping it into her pocket though and thank god for that.

She hesitated only a moment on who to call. She needed a car and the closest person with a car she knew was… not answering her call.

"Peeta!" she exclaimed when he finally picked up, just as it was about to go to voicemail. "I need help."

There was a shaky intake of breath on the other side and then his steady reassuring voice. _"Okay. What can I do?"_

She glanced at Gale who wasn't looking at her. His face was closed off, his lips a thin pained line and he was awfully pale. His arm was still bleeding too much.

"Some sort of demon attacked us. Gale is _really_ hurt. He needs to go to the hospital." she said, her voice rising in panic.

" _Okay_." Peeta said again, with some urgency but in a calm tone that helped her keep her cool. " _Tell me where you are. I'm on my way."_

She gave him the address and then hung up, clutching the phone in her hand. She didn't dare take a closer look at Gale's wound. First because she had never been good with blood and then because she was a little afraid he would try to kiss her again.

"So, you're in trouble and he's the one you call…" he commented quietly, his voice a little faint.

" _Shut up_." she snarled. She was so furious. _So furious_. "This is all your fault."

"Hunting vampires and demons wasn't my idea of a new hobby." he shot back.

She turned away from him and selected another number. Haymitch's phone rang and rang… She closed her eyes, feeling close to throwing up with nerves. _Pick up,_ she silently begged, _pick up_. It went to the standard voicemail. She ended the call and peered at the end of the street, hoping to see Peeta's truck appear under the pale streetlamps. Her phone rang before she had time to count to three.

" _Everything's okay?"_ Haymitch asked without bothering with a hello.

That was such a stupid question that she almost started hysterically laughing. Instead she focused on the thing that caught her attention. "Why are you out of breath?"

There was a meaningful pause and then. " _I was working out."_

"Why are you working out in the middle of the night?" she insisted. She could feel the tears burning her eyes and making her throat _itch_. Her voice wavered. He must have caught it.

" _Sweetheart, what's wrong? You need back-up?"_ Haymitch said.

She summed up the whole thing as neatly and calmly as possible. "Peeta can take Gale to the ER and I can try to find this thing."

" _No."_ her Watcher refused. _"I'm not sending you after something we don't know how to kill. Go to the hospital with the boys, I'll meet you there, alright?"_

Peeta's headlights finally pierced the night at the end of the street. He was driving fast and he braked hard right in front of her. She had the vague thought he had almost crashed the car again.

She watched him jump out of the truck and walk around it to grab her arms, his blue eyes traveling over her face, her body, looking for an injury…

"You're alright?" he asked. "I'm sorry. I should have been there with you. I could have distracted it while you stab him or something…"

 _That_ was such the right thing to say compared to Gale's _you can't do it_ that she threw her arms around his neck. He froze for a second and then hugged her back, his hand coming to rest at the back of her head.

" _Shit_." he cursed when he caught sight of Gale over her shoulder.

"Don't mind me." her best friend snorted. "I'm just bleeding out. I wouldn't want to interrupt your _moment_."

" _Shit_." Peeta repeated once he took a closer look. "Katniss, open the door."

Gale wasn't able to stay upright by himself anymore, Peeta had to carry him to the car and he slumped his head against the window as soon as he was sitting down. On Peeta's request, she climbed on the backseat too and applied pressure on the wound while he drove recklessly fast to the hospital.

"I'm sorry." Gale whispered, for her ears only.

She wanted to say he should be.

"Try not to die." she replied. "That's all the apology I need."

Gale was taken away the moment they passed the ER's doors. Katniss slumped on one of the plastic chairs in the waiting room, leaving Peeta to spin a story about an animal attack for the nurse on duty. When he eventually came to sit next to her, he took her hand without a word and she clung to it.

It was perhaps ten more minutes of tense waiting before Haymitch and Effie barged in the hospital. She surprised everyone and herself the most by jumping off the chair and straight into Haymitch's arms. To his credit, her Watcher immediately hugged her back.

"Ain't your fault, sweetheart." he offered quietly. " _Shit_ happens. _Sucks_ but it's like that."

" _Truly_. Would you _mind_ your language in front of the children?" Effie berated him. "Here, dear, let me have a look at you. Are you alright?"

She stepped back from Haymitch's embrace only to be subjected to the same kind of visual inspection Peeta had done earlier. Her Watcher must have dragged Effie out of bed because the witch had clearly dressed in a hurry, her blouse was buttoned wrong under her open coat. The Art teacher considered a gash on her cheek with pursed lips and pressed her thumb on its length, muttering something under her breath that _really_ didn't sound English. Next thing she knew, the gash was gone.

She gaped. "I should have brought Gale to you."

Effie shook her head. "You were right to bring him here. I am not much of a healer."

"You'd never be much of anything if we listened to you." Haymitch mocked. "How can you be so arrogant about everything else and doubt your magic when you're _clearly_ powerful?"

The witch glared at him and neglected to answer. She cleared her throat and patted Katniss' shoulder. "I will go and see what I can find about Livia while we are here, shall I? Plutarch told me her parents brought her here, her doctor was concerned it was some kind of disease. Peeta, perhaps you could assist me."

It wasn't very subtle but Katniss was glad to find herself alone with Haymitch. When she slumped back on the chair and buried her face in her hands, he didn't judge.

"Gale kissed me." she blurted out. It wasn't exactly the most important thing right then but she felt it needed to be said.

Her Watcher let out a long suffering sigh and rubbed her back distractedly. "What did I say about boys troubles?"

Her lips stretched into a smile despite the horrible night. "You don't advise on boys troubles."

"Right." he approved.

"But you're going to do it anyway." she pointed out. "'Cause when you have an opinion, you've got to _share_."

"I can keep my opinions to myself alright." he retorted. "I'm just offering them to you free of charge in hope you start using your brain sometimes." His voice lost the sarcastic edge and he took a second before continuing, which in her experience meant he was trying to find the right words – which didn't bode well. "Ain't gonna tell you how to live your life, sweetheart, but the Hawthorne boy…"

"I know you don't like him." she sighed.

"I don't like the way he sniffs after you, no." he confirmed. "This being said… I know the kind. He can't accept who you are, what you've become. If he doesn't get it into his thick skull soon that you ain't some helpless girl in need of his protection, that you've _never_ been that, he's gonna get himself killed. And you with him." He let that sink in and moved his hand from her back to her shoulder, giving it a small squeeze. "Most Slayers bear their burden alone. That's the way it's always been. It doesn't have to be like that for you, that ain't what I'm saying but… Some guys… Some guys feel threatened by who they are 'cause they feel the need to be the strongest one in the room. Hawthorne… I think he's one of these guys."

"You weren't." she whispered. "Your girlfriend…"

"Mabel'd have kicked my ass all days to Sunday if I'd tried to pull what that boy did tonight. Then, she would have cut me loose." he cut her off. "And that's the last of her we're talking about."

The tone was definitive so she straightened and leaned against the wall at her back. "That's what you want me to do? Cut him loose?"

He squeezed her shoulder again. "Ain't telling you what to do."

"Since when?" she snorted.

"Since _this_ ain't my scene." he replied with a shrug. "I've said my piece. There are plenty of boys out there who'd respect you for who you are. I sure know of one…"

He nodded in the vague direction of one of the hallways. Effie and Peeta were coming back toward them.

She elected to ignore that. He was the second person telling her Peeta was a better choice tonight and she still didn't feel like she _wanted_ to choose.

"Do you think that demon killed the homeless woman?" she asked.

"Hard to say." he sighed. "I'll stop by the morgue in the morning. See if I can dig any info against a few bucks."

"Well…" Effie exclaimed as soon as she was within hearing range. "The doctors cannot explain Livia's warts."

"Big shock." Haymitch snorted. "That had _magic-gone-wrong_ stamped all over it."

"Miss Trinket distracted the nurse while I stole the file." Peeta told Katniss with a happy grin. "I feel like James Bond."

Haymitch stood up and stepped closer to Trinket, a smirk on his lips. "Don't tell me I missed you playing James Bond Girl… 'Cause _that_ I'd have paid to see."

"I am _very_ talented at distracting people." Effie countered without batting an eyelash. "Flirting goes a _long_ way. Besides… She was cute and she gave me her number. All benefits."

Haymitch's eyebrows shot up at that declaration but then he licked his lips. "Might want to fix your blouse, Princess. We wouldn't want anyone to think you've been up to no good with _nurses_."

She looked down at her blouse and realized the predicament but she didn't even look embarrassed. She just buttoned it the right way with an amused smile on her lips.

"No, we certainly wouldn't want that, would we?" the witch hummed.

Peeta's gaze darted between the two of them and then he looked back at Katniss with open amusement. She failed to see what was so funny though. She didn't really care if Effie liked girls, she wanted to find her demon and put it down.

They couldn't get deeper into it though. Hazelle barged into the hospital, her younger children clinging to her, disheveled, looking pale and frightened. Haymitch immediately went over to her with a reassuring expression on his face. When the woman asked her what had happened, Katniss found herself mumbling a vague explanation about a huge animal she couldn't identify. The woman left the kids with them and went straight to the nurse on duty.

It turned out Peeta was also good with young children. He spared Rory's sensibilities by addressing him as if he was his equal even though the boy was the same age as Prim and making it sound as if the boy was actually the one in charge of his brother and sister, he had Vick wrapped around his finger in no time at all, as for Posy, she had declared she was going to marry him after only five minutes. Hazelle came back with reassuring news that helped Katniss breathe a little easier.

"We're having an emergency meeting tomorrow after school." Haymitch announced, once they had left the hospital. "We need to identify this demon." It might have been a little more impressive if he hadn't been leaning against the open door of Effie's pink miniature car. He must have realized it because he glared at the other teacher. "I _hate_ your car. I told you we'd have been faster if…"

"I am _not_ getting on that bike." she huffed, her eyes glancing down his body and back up as if he had professed the most horrendous comment. "It would wreck havoc in my hair."

Katniss and Peeta exchanged a look and hid their smiles.

Somehow, she was sure Effie Trinket's hair being in disarray must have been one of the signs of an impending apocalypse.

* * *

 _Sooooooo Gale ended up getting himself hurt. And stole a kiss. And now Haymitch HAS to give boys advices XD_

 _Did you enjoy this chapter? Let me know!_

 _Happy Easter!_


	27. E4: Make A Wish (5)

5.

* * *

The tension in Haymitch's library was thick enough that it could have been cut with a knife.

Peeta kept to himself on his side of the table, a few books piled in front of him, trying to find a picture of the demon Katniss had described. The Slayer was sitting a few feet away from him on his right, her own stock of books open in front of her. She was scowling at the old yellowed pages so hard he wouldn't have been surprised if they had caught fire. On Katniss' right, at a greater distance, sat Gale. The boy was slumped in his chair, still looking pale and tired, deep dark bags under his eyes and his left arm strapped to his chest. He was skimming through a book too but it was obvious his head wasn't really in the game. As for Haymitch, he was checking his own pile, regularly drinking from a mug of tea Peeta was pretty sure was spiked.

Gale kept tossing Katniss covert looks. Katniss glared harder at her book every time it happened. Haymitch glowered at his tea and regularly made it very clear through his groans that he was a very unhappy man – mostly because Katniss had _retold_ them the events of the previous night so they would know what to look for and he had ended up lecturing Gale about stupidity and unnecessary heroics for a good fifteen minutes. Gale hadn't liked that but he had only snapped back a couple of times, apparently too tired to get into a real proper fight. Still, the tension was unbearable and Peeta was watching everyone, waiting for the whole thing to blow apart.

Truth be told, he blamed himself a little too. If he hadn't pushed Katniss away, kept his distances… He had promised her he would be her sidekick and he had let her down. He was under no misconception that he could have stopped that demon but he could have helped a little more.

The worst part by far was that when she had called the previous night, a part of him had hesitated riding to the rescue. For a second, only. A heartbeat. But he _had_ hesitated because he had known he would get into more troubles. And he very well might still do.

He hadn't been discreet enough when he had sneaked out, the urgency of the situation taking precedence on his need to stay out of his parents' way. They had heard him go out and they had been there waiting when he had gotten home with Gale's blood on his shirt. He hadn't even tried to explain because there was never any point explaining himself. It never changed the end result.

His father, at least, had convinced his mother to go back to bed before she could really start getting angry. That morning, Peeta had made sure to leave extremely early, after his father had left for the bakery before dawn but before his mother got up to join him. He should have been there right now and he knew that missing a shift at the bakery without explanation on top of it all would prove to be reckless but… A part of him simply didn't care anymore.

His mother had called him three times and had filled his voicemails with messages he hadn't bothered listening to. He doubted she was worried about his whereabouts. His father had sent one text, asking if he was alright. That one he had answered after some deliberation. The reply he had gotten suggested he should maybe have a sleepover at one of his friends' house that night so his mother had time to cool off.

He hadn't bothered explaining he didn't exactly have friends anymore. He used to crash at Cato's or Marvel's when he couldn't do otherwise but now… It would be weird to ask Katniss. He could ask Haymitch, he figured, he didn't doubt the Watcher would let him sleep on his couch but Haymitch was already suspicious something was wrong and…

"Boy."

Peeta looked up at the sound of Haymitch's voice and followed the teacher's grey eyes to his own hand. It was bundled into a tight fist and to make matter worse, it was shaking. He forced himself to relax and ignore the curious looks of the other two teenagers in the room. He also ignored the man's concerned gaze.

The tension rose up another notch.

All in all, it was a relief when they heard the front door opening, followed by the now familiar clicking of high heels.

"This is a disaster!" Effie exclaimed with real anguish before she was even in the room. "I cannot _believe_ this is happening! What are we to do?"

Haymitch was already half out of his seat when she finally came into view, wearing a weird green dress with a large golden belt. "The Careers?"

The worry in his voice was palpable.

Effie frowned and waved her hand in dismissal. "No. Take your head out of the occult for a second. I am talking about the talent show! Can you _believe_ that now, not only Livia will not be performing… Not that I can blame her, poor thing, I would not be caught _dead_ in public with warts on my face either… But _just_ when I told Fanny she should take her spot, she went and broke her leg? I do not even know _how_ she managed it! One second she was standing, the next she was on the floor twisting in pain." She took a deep breath and let it out in an upset huff. "I _do_ suspect someone is playing with magic at school, Haymitch, and we need to stop them before they destroy my show! I am lacking two performers and a closing act now!"

They were all gaping at her but if she noticed she didn't let on.

They had all skipped the talent show rehearsal to get a move on the researching but the Art teacher _had_ to go.

"A woman is _dead_." Katniss reminded her in a hiss.

"Oh?" Effie asked with polite interest. "Are we certain it was the demon's doing, then?"

"No." Haymitch cut in, still watching her as if she was completely crazy. "No organ missing, no trace of mauling. There were scratches but nothing like what Hawthorne got out of the fight." He made a mocking face. " _Still_ a little more important than a stupid school show."

Effie pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at him so bad they almost looked like slits. "A talent show _is not_ stupid. All the more so if _my reputation_ is on the line."

Haymitch looked at her as if she had grown a second head and Peeta was pretty sure the Watcher was done being polite about this so he cleared his throat. "We could use some help with research?"

"Oh, naturally!" Effie flashed him a grin and took a seat at the table but not before fishing an Ipad out of her purse. "You will excuse me I like to live in my own century. Why pore over musty old books when I can have them all under my fingertips?" Haymitch opened his mouth with an offended expression but she either ignored him or had anticipated the retort because she was quicker and didn't even stop to breathe. "Have you checked Claudius Templesmith's _Daemonium Glossary_ , Haymitch?"

"No." Haymitch sneered. "'Cause it's my first rodeo as a Watcher and I need you to tell me how to do my job."

"How big of you to admit it." she hummed.

Peeta looked up from his book again, amused by the exchange. He glanced at Katniss but she was rolling her eyes, apparently missing the playfulness under the banter.

"Ain't you just _chirpy_ today." the History teacher scoffed.

"I had an _excellent_ night." Effie grinned. "Well… Aside for the trip to the hospital. I _do_ hope you are feeling better, Gale?"

Gale startled, having not expected to be called out. He nodded and mumbled an affirmation and then kept on reading – or pretending to.

From time to time, one of them would point an illustration out to Katniss and Gale and ask if that was the demon in question but for the most part of half an hour, there was no progress. Until Katniss, who had slumped on the table at some point and was now flicking pages over without energy, suddenly bolted upright, clutching the book closer.

"This one." she said. "It was this one. I can't read that name."

Peeta leaned in to take a look and the name had far too many vowels and consonant in it, something German perhaps. Something none of them could say without sounding like idiots – at least until Effie took a look and uttered it without faltering, the sound flowing so naturally out of her mouth you would have thought it was her mother tongue.

"A wish demon." Haymitch muttered, taking the book from Katniss.

"They do not in live in this dimension and can only cross if they are summoned. They drain life force in exchange for their wish. A person's remaining years if you will." Effie added, without checking the book. "Rarely the caster's, which is a plus if you do not mind being responsible for someone being dead." Faced with four pairs of eyes that ranged from incredulous to suspicious, she lifted her hands in the air. " _I_ obviously do."

"Explains the homeless woman, at least." Haymitch added. "He just stole the rest of her life from her and she just… died."

"Why didn't he do it to us, then?" Gale asked.

"'Cause it's one life for one wish." The Watcher shrugged. "Fair trade."

Katniss frowned. "Depends for whom."

"Yeah." Haymitch agreed. "And it doesn't mean, that demon ain't gonna maim someone in the meantime. They ain't exactly bright."

"But you said it had to be summoned." Peeta cut in. "That means someone's responsible."

"Then we kill the demon and after that we stop _them_." Katniss declared.

"If they're human, you can't kill them." Haymitch warned and, at Katniss' begrudged face, he made one of his own. "Yeah, I know the feeling. But that's a ground rule for you: if any human really needs to be killed... I'm gonna do it."

"No, you are _not_." Effie countered, uncharacteristically serious. "The Council do _not_ condone murder."

"Oh, please." Haymitch scoffed. "Do not give me the party line. That's _bullshit_ and you know it."

Did she? Peeta couldn't tell. Her face was blank.

"How do we find the witch or wizard?" he asked, half hoping it would involve some magic of their own. He was eager to see more of Effie's magic. He _was_ a little intrigued and the fact that most of the books agreed almost anyone could cast a spell was appealing. You needed inner magical power to become powerful but basic spells were accessible to anyone. He liked that. A lot.

Effie's long silver and pink nails drummed on the round wooden table thoughtfully and then she looked at Haymitch who was staring at the book, clearly thinking. "Do you agree with me?"

Given that she hadn't ventured any theory aloud, Peeta wasn't sure how he could but, surprisingly, he nodded slowly. "That's sloppy work. We're looking at an amateur. Maybe someone who doesn't even know what they've done. Thought they were having some fun and ended up with a demon."

"Why?" Katniss asked. "Why do you think that?"

"The demon is on the loose." Effie explained. "That sort of demon… Anyone with a little experience with magic would have summoned it inside a restrictive circle and kept him there. Feed him instead of letting it wander. Less dangerous, more contained."

"The magical incidents at school." Peeta said suddenly. "Livia's warts and… You said Fanny broke her leg?"

Again, the two Watchers exchanged a look.

"Possible." Haymitch eventually commented.

"Someone _wished_ Livia would get a few spots and Fanny would break her leg?" Katniss scoffed, incredulous. " _Why_? I mean if you can wish for _anything…_ I'd want… I'd want my father back. And money."

" _Never_ try to bring back the dead, dear." Effie warned quite firmly. "Not with a wish, not with a spell, not with _anything_. What is dead should _remain_ dead."

The warning sounded ominous and Katniss was glaring at her a little so Peeta cleared his throat again. "I wouldn't mind being a few years older."

"Ask that of a wish demon and you're gonna find yourself a hundred." Haymitch shook his head. "You've never read any fairytales? Wishes never turn out the way you want them to. That kind of magic always comes with a price."

That wasn't quite how Disney had spun it, Peeta mused.

" _All_ kind of magic always comes with a price." Effie corrected softly. She lifted her hand and summoned a fireball. It flared in her palm, so warm Peeta could feel it from where he was sitting. She made it look so easy though… "Magic feeds on me, like any muscles would. It requires energy, focus and strength. With training, it is perfectly safe, a tool like any other but…"

"Swallow more than you can chew and you will end up dead very fast." Haymitch finished when her sentence trailed off. "Which is why I don't like doing that kind of stuff myself."

"It can be addictive and it can be hard to find one's limits." the witch agreed, making the fireball disappear with a twist of her wrist. It really was a neat trick.

"Okay." Katniss interrupted, obviously bored with the magic lesson. "So you think someone's at school is playing with magic?"

"I think someone at school played at reciting an incantation and did not expect it to work." Effie confirmed. "A little like saying _Bloody Mary_ three times in front of a mirror – which, for the record, I _highly_ advise against on a Hellmouth."

Peeta's stomach twisted in a very bad way and he started feeling a little sick. He looked at Gale but the boy didn't glance at him at all.

"So you think Livia and Fanny were accidents?" he clarified. "Whoever did this just… thought they wished them to have warts and break a leg in the moment and… It happened?"

"It's possible." Haymitch granted. "They may not have been specific targets. Let's say the caster thought 'I wish someone broke a leg so we could get out of here quicker'… It'd do the trick. That kind of magic… Can be really unstable."

Effie frowned. "Who would think that sort of things?"

"Probably best _I_ didn't summon a wish demon." Haymitch smirked.

"So, they wouldn't have had to be at school this afternoon?" Peeta insisted. "It could have just… been _anyone_ instead of Fanny?"

"It _is_ a little suspicious someone gets hurt every time I give them the star spot." Effie countered.

But Peeta's gaze had turned back to Gale once more. And Katniss was picking up on it.

"What's going on?" the girl asked.

Gale _finally_ met his eyes and Peeta swallowed hard, thinking back to the conversation they had had a few days ago. The nagging suspicion wouldn't go away.

"Did you do something?" he confronted at last.

Gale's face closed off into a scowl. "I don't know what you mean."

"You know _exactly_ what I mean." Peeta accused. "You wanted to use magic. Did you try something?"

"Use magic?" Katniss repeated, folding her arms in front of her chest. "What for? You said magic was _evil_."

"Magic is _not_ evil!"Effie exclaimed with a huff. "How _preposterous_!"

"Magic for what?" Haymitch growled at the same time.

Gale was glaring at him but Peeta couldn't even begin to care. If the other boy had been stupid enough to summon a wish demon without reading the fine prints…

"I didn't do _anything_." Gale snapped. "And magic _is_ unnatural."

"Unnatural does _not_ equal evil." Effie hissed. "What does it even _mean_? _Unnatural._ That is a deeply offensive term."

"He asked me if I thought we could use magic to transfer Katniss' Slayer powers to someone else." Peeta confessed and it felt good because it had never sat right with him in the first place. And, also, maybe because he really hadn't liked the sneaking around Gale had forced him to take a part in.

"What?" Katniss asked in a blank voice.

Effie gasped.

Haymitch was across the room before Peeta could blink. He heard the pained cry before he even registered the man had Gale pinned to the wall by the collar of his shirt.

"Stupid boy. You could have _killed_ her." the Watcher spat.

"Haymitch." Effie called in a warning tone – not quite disapproving though. Gale tried to swing his good arm but Haymitch easily avoided the punch. He wouldn't have avoided the kick to the groin if frost hadn't suddenly stuck Gale's legs to the wall though. Effie was standing up now and her hands were in the air. "Haymitch, step back. He is just a child."

"He could have _killed_ her." Haymitch repeated, pure rage in his voice. "The only way for another Slayer to be called…"

" _I know_. Please let him go I do _not_ want to have to hurt you." she cut him off.

But she would, Peeta realized, because Haymitch looked ready to _murder_ Gale. It was almost a whole minute before the Watcher stepped back. Frost crept up Gale's torso, keeping him up against the wall though.

"I didn't do _anything_." Gale snarled. "I just _asked_ if it was doable. I didn't…"

" _Shut up_." Katniss' voice rose, hard and unflinching.

"I was just trying to _help_ you." the boy insisted. Haymitch let out a loud scoff and only simmered down again when Effie laid a hand on his arm. The noise seemed to infuriate Gale, he glanced at the adults and then back at her. "You're going to get yourself _killed_."

Katniss stared at him hard and then turned toward Peeta, looking very _very_ pissed. "How long have you known about this?"

"He came to me with it a few days ago." Peeta admitted. "I wasn't sure you knew or not."

"You should have come straight to me." she snapped.

And she was right. He knew she was right. He had known going to her was the thing to do the moment Gale had started talking about forcing the Slayer power on Effie. "I'm sorry."

"You should be." she hissed, turning her gaze to Effie. "Let him go."

Effie didn't discuss it. The frost dissolved into mist and Gale slid down until his feet hit the ground. He held his bad arm with his good hand and looked back at Katniss with a crazy sort of intensity.

"Please, Catnip. You _have_ to see…" he started.

" _Did_ you do it?" she asked. "And don't you _dare_ lie to me. We'll find out anyway."

Gale shook his head. "I wouldn't touch magic. I asked Mellark 'cause I knew he was into that stuff." He took a step closer to Katniss and then stopped, probably because her glare alone would have been enough to make an army reconsider. "But don't you see? We _could_ do it. Pass your power along to someone else. Trinket could take it. You _don't have_ to be the Slayer."

"No." Katniss snapped. "I don't. But I _want_ to be."

"It wouldn't work." Haymitch growled. "First, Trinket's too old to be called. Second, the Slayer mantle ain't something you can just _pass along_ when you don't want it. It's a _fucking_ destiny. It's a _legacy_. Trying to do what you're talking about would be spitting on the grave of every girl who came before. It's…"

"Haymitch, I wouldn't go along with it even if it was possible." Katniss interrupted. " _Calm down_."

"It would have _killed_ you." the Watcher spat. "If he had gone through with it. You'd be _dead_." He turned to Peeta, anger blazing in his eyes. "And _you_. You should have come to me the second he told you that stupid plan. I _trusted_ you to be smart but maybe Trinket was right. Maybe you've got no business being involved at all."

Peeta flinched and looked down. It was deserved, he knew, but it still hurt.

"Alright." Effie said after clearing her throat. "Back to business. We still have a demon to stop."

"How do I kill it?" Katniss asked coldly.

Haymitch was too busy glowering to answer so Effie kept on talking after a hesitant look his way. "His fur is too thick for stabbing. Beheading would work best, assuming you find him."

"What if I don't?" she replied. "How do we find the one who summoned him?"

Effie nervously played with the bangles on her wrist. "I still believe this is linked to the talent show. The two girls I gave the star spot to were targeted, I find that unlikely to be a coincidence. Perhaps one of you could infiltrate the performers."

"Katniss can sing." Peeta suggested.

Katniss could _also_ glare.

"When she sings birds stop to listen." Gale confirmed in a mutter.

He got a glare too.

"Let's try to find the demon tonight and put an end to this sorry thing." Haymitch grumbled, checking the clock. "We should get a move on. Do an early sweep in the cemetery and then tackle the same town area you found him in yesterday."

"I'll grab the weapons." Peeta volunteered.

"No." Katniss' voice lashed out like a whip. "You and Gale are going home. I don't need you."

"But…" he tried to argue.

Gale was hurt, it made sense he wouldn't be coming but _he_ could help.

"Let me be clearer." she snapped. "I don't _want_ you anywhere near me. You both lied to me and kept secrets."

"You need back-up." Gale argued. "You can't…"

"Oh, for the love of…" Effie muttered, clearly losing her cool. "She is _the Slayer,_ boy. She does not _need_ back-up – which is not to say she won't have it anyway because Haymitch and I are coming along – _nevertheless_ you need to get over your little misconception that she needs you to protect her because she is _perfectly_ capable of defending herself."

Gale sneered at her. "You'd say that. You're a _witch_. Who says you're not on the demons' side?"

Haymitch gritted his teeth. "Can I punch him now?"

"You will do no such thing." Effie huffed, narrowing her eyes at Gale. "But I advise you leave before I _really_ lose my temper. I find it harder to control my powers then."

She wriggled her fingers in the air meaningfully. It was mostly for show and probably not a real threat but Gale flinched all the same. He reached for Katniss but she avoided his hand.

"Please." Gale requested with desperate eyes.

"Get out." Katniss hissed before turning to Peeta. "You too."

She was too angry to listen right then and she had a right to be so Peeta nodded and grabbed his stuff.

"I'm _really_ sorry." he insisted, a little hesitantly. "I'd _never_ have gone along with it and I _was_ going to tell you."

It hurt that everyone was pissed at him when he left.

It hurt even more to realize he didn't have a place to go when he got in his car.

He could head back home, of course, but that implied facing his mother after his father had warned him not to.

In the end he ended up driving at random in hope he would spot the demon and could warn the others. He didn't find anything so he drove back to the Village and parked the car near the entrance. He would be less likely to be picked up by a police patrol or wayward vampires there.

He settled on the backseat and try not to mind the cold too much as he closed his eyes. He was just starting to doze off when someone knocked on the window. He startled and jumped upright, his eyes falling straight into Effie's. Her headlights were piercing the night behind her.

She must have spotted him on her way back from patrol.

He opened the back door, his cheeks flushed. "Did you find the demon?"

"No trace." she answered distractedly, a frown on her face. "What are you doing here?"

He opened and closed his mouth but no clever lie came to his lips.

Her frown deepened. "Please, do _not_ tell me you were planning on sleeping i _n your car_."

"I was tired. I just wanted to rest a little." he denied. "I'm going to go home now."

She pursed her lips and it was so obvious she knew he was lying…

"Or you could use my guest room." she offered. "It is not entirely finished yet but there is a bed. That can only be more comfortable than your car." The offer was so unexpected that he wasn't sure what to answer at first. She sighed. "Peeta, dear, I will _not_ force you to talk about your home situation but you _must_ realize Haymitch and I are not unaware something is wrong there. It is alright if you do not trust us enough to confide yet but you _should_ trust us enough to ask for a place to sleep when you need it."

"Haymitch is angry with me." he mumbled.

"Haymitch will _not_ turn you away just because he is angry with you." she replied. "And, even so, did _I_ give any inkling I was angry with you?"

"I don't know you as well." he pointed out. "I can't just show up on my Art teacher's doorstep and expect her to take me in."

Her face softened and she smiled. "Yes, you can. Consider that an open invitation. I would rather have you as my guest than learn tomorrow morning you were killed by vampires because you were sleeping in your car. Come on now, follow me home. Have you eaten? I could order some take-out."

Effie Trinket, he soon learned, was a hurricane and, bewildered, he was swept in her wake. She wasn't happy until he was fed and settled down in her – very pink – guest room. She didn't ask questions and she didn't pry although the invitation to talk if he so wished was obvious.

He had never been so grateful to anyone else in his life.

* * *

 _The plot thickens... What did you think?_


	28. E4: Make A Wish (6)

6.

* * *

Haymitch's mood hadn't improved by the time Trinket handed him a cup of coffee at the talent show rehearsal the next day.

"I do hope Katniss can carry a tune or this will be a _complete_ disaster." she sighed.

They were standing at the back of the auditorium, watching the kids set up. The show would be taking place the following night and they were out of time for everything that wasn't figuring out who had summoned the wish demon. They hadn't found its tracks the previous night but there had been another body in the morgue that morning – he had checked.

"Better hope she can find out the culprit." he countered, his grey eyes traveling over the various groups of students.

Trinket pursed her lips and took a sip of her own cup of coffee, observing them too.

"Peeta almost spent the night in his car last night." she said very casually.

That caught his attention and he frowned at her. "What?"

She didn't turn her head toward him, she kept on watching the kids. "He did not volunteer details but you might want to make it _clear_ to him you are not angry with him to the point you would _ever_ refuse him shelter should he need it again."

"I ain't angry with _him_ , really." he denied. He had been furious the previous day and he had taken it out on everyone – Katniss and Trinket had complained about it a lot during patrol – but the one he _really_ was angry with was Hawthorne. Angry but not surprised. He should have seen it coming. " _Shit_ , he was really gonna sleep in his car? You took him home, right?"

She spared him an annoyed glance. " _Of course,_ I took him home. I was not about to leave him in the streets. I told him he was welcomed back tonight if he needed a place to stay but he claims he will be going home."

"We're gonna need to check he _does_." Haymitch pointed out, rubbing his face. "Or that he finds somewhere else, at least. He can't sleep outside. Ain't safe." He downed half of the tepid coffee. "Speaking of _safe_ … I want you to be careful with Hawthorne."

The fact that that stupid ill-conceived half-cooked plan of his had involved tossing the Slayer's line back on Trinket hadn't been lost on him. Neither had his hatred of magic and, right then, in the teenager's very limited scope of the occult world, Trinket was the embodiment of that.

"Are you implying I cannot hold my own against a child, Haymitch?" she retorted. She sounded amused but there was a touch of irritation underneath it.

"I'm implying anyone can take a knife in the back and not see it coming until it's digging deep, sweetheart." he countered, reaching for her arm and giving it a squeeze. "Look… I just… _Be careful_ , that's all I'm asking. The kid ain't taking this whole thing very well and I don't think he considers you to be totally human."

Her features were schooled in a neutral expression that soon turned into her usual bubbly mask. "Do I detect _concern_? Am I growing on you, Haymitch?" A wicked grin stretched her lips and she leaned a little closer. "Or is it this nasty little _illness_ again?"

He felt his mouth stretch into an answering smirk. " _Nasty_ 's the right word, Princess."

"Is it now?" she teased. "I _can_ do nasty."

He chuckled. He couldn't help himself. "Is there _anything_ you _can't_ do?"

"Cook." she deadpanned.

He didn't think she was entirely joking. Before he could do something foolish – like offer to be the judge of that or maybe offer to cook for her just to rub her nose in the fact that _he_ could – Glimmer approached them with a haughty sneer on her face.

"Miss Trinket, when are you going to fill in the last act?" the girl demanded more than she asked. "The show is _tomorrow_."

"I _already_ filled it." Trinket answered in a sweet innocent tone. "Katniss will be singing."

"Katniss?" Glimmer almost choked on the name. "Are you _kidding_?"

"I am afraid not." She smiled and offered a small shake of her head. "Wait until you hear her sing. It is _divine_." Under her breath and for his benefit alone, she added. _"I hope_."

Glimmer stormed away in a rage.

"We both know she's the one, yeah?" Haymitch asked after a few seconds.

"Naturally." she hummed. "I thought we were waiting to see if the children would figure it out by themselves. _Weren't_ we?"

"Yeah." he confirmed, finishing the last of his coffee. As long as nobody else got hurt and if they worked it out before the end of rehearsals, before the demon attacked someone else. "You've got the counterspell ready?"

"I already gave it to Peeta." she huffed, vexed. "Who do you take me for? A beginner?"

They would _also_ have to find a way to get the culprit to read the counterspell so the demon was sent back where it came from. All in all, it should be a lesson for Katniss. He couldn't always give her the answers. She had to learn to figure it out.

It didn't mean he wouldn't be ready to intervene if things went wrong.

He didn't ask why she had given the spell to Peeta instead of Katniss. She probably hoped the kids would talk it out and make up. He kind of hoped the same.

"I hate girls like her." Trinket sighed, her eyes tracking Glimmer's progress through the room.

It was a good thing he had finished his coffee because he would have choked on it. "What? Blond, beautiful, arrogant and _bitchy_ with a liking for magic?"

His mocking tone must have clued her in because she narrowed her eyes at him, tilted her head to better glare and then stormed away with a huff in the exact same way Glimmer had just done, clapping her hands to get everyone's attention and get that last rehearsal on the road.

Haymitch remained where he was and kept smirking.

Oh, but she was _hot_ when she was annoyed. And annoying her was _fun_.

°O°O°O°O°

Katniss twisted her hands one way and then the other, wishing for her bow and something to kill. Everyone backstage was looking at her, some of them were _glaring,_ and while she refused to do anything else but jut her chin up and glare right back, it was unnerving. She didn't want to walk out on that stage and she didn't want to sing. It had been _years_ since she had last sung. Since her father's death.

She had never really sung in public except perhaps in kindergarten and she had had no intention of ever doing it.

"Hey."

She glanced at Peeta and immediately felt the need to redo her shoelace if only to waste time before confronting him. She was wearing one of the pair of pants she had hauled out of Effie's throw-away boxes and they were a little snug on her. She spared half a second to hope it wouldn't burst at the seams but with her luck…

Peeta let out a small sigh. "Katniss, please… I'm _sorry_."

"Why didn't you tell me?" she snapped, aggressively redoing the knot on her boot.

Peeta hesitated, ran a hand in his hair… "I had… _have_ stuff going on. I know it's no excuse, it's just… You and Gale looked like you had everything under control and… I don't know. I felt like I should keep my distance. And then, he talked to me about this stupid idea and I wasn't sure if you knew or not… I wasn't sure how to tell you about it."

She stood up and took a good look at him, noticing for the first time the dark bags under his eyes and the way he kept on nervously tugging on his sleeves. Peeta didn't really look good and it tugged at her heartstrings.

It wasn't really Peeta's fault if Gale had been behaving like an ass, no matter how pissed off she was in general. Unlike Gale, Peeta had always done what she had told him to on patrol and had never tried to put himself between her and a monster – not because he didn't care for her safety but because he trusted her to take care of things. He had never implied she couldn't do her job or made her feel like she was somehow _abnormal_ for wanting to do the best she could…

"Okay." she accepted.

"Yeah?" Peeta asked hopefully. "So… We're good?"

"We're good." she confirmed. "But don't hide something like that from me again."

"I promise." he smiled. And that smile made all the difference. It seemed to transform his whole face. Suddenly, the exhaustion that had clung to his features faded. He took a step toward her, a little hesitant, his arms opening… He stopped there, not quite sure if the hug was welcomed or not. That was something she appreciated. Not being _forced_ into it.

Katniss wasn't much of a hugger but she rolled her eyes and humored him anyway, surprising herself by relaxing in his embrace.

"I'm sorry too." she admitted tentatively. "I shouldn't have bitten your head off like that."

"It's fine. Don't worry." he promised.

She hadn't planned on the hug lasting more than a couple of seconds but it lingered. Right until Glimmer loudly scoffed behind them.

"You're making a mistake, Peeta." the girl warned. "You think she's special? She's just a good-for-nothing _rat_."

Peeta stepped back and glared at his former friend. "Jealousy makes you look green, Glimmer."

"I thought that was envy." Katniss remarked, once the other girl had stormed back to where Marvel was watching with his arms crossed. The insult slid off her. She had faced worse than Glimmer in the last couple of months.

"Katniss, if you would?" Effie's high-pitched voice called from the audience.

She sighed.

"You'll be great." Peeta said, with such confidence that it made her feel a lot better.

She took a deep breath and slipped past the red dusty curtains that separated the stage from the backstage area. It was blinding up there, spots in her eyes, the hush of all the other kids sitting on the plastic chairs, waiting for their turn to rehearse and looking bored…

"No accompanist?" Effie asked. Katniss shook her head no. If she was doing this, she would be doing it by herself. The Art teacher didn't look convinced and tossed a glance at Haymitch who shrugged and smirked in encouragement at his Slayer. The witch pursed her lips but forced a smile. "Very well, then. In your own time."

In her own time would be preferably _never_.

She took a deep breath and went for the first few notes of _Deep In The Meadow_.

Nothing came out.

Not a sound.

She gripped her throat, tried to speak, started coughing…

"Dear, are you alright?" Effie asked in a worried tone.

She tried to answer, she did, but her voice was _gone_.

"She choked." Glimmer called out from the audience, triggering a round of laughter from her friends. "That's why you don't give the star spot to _amateurs_."

Katniss was so busy glaring at her that she startled when Peeta's hand grabbed her shoulder. She lifted her arm to hit him and only aborted the move at the last second when she recognized him. She felt strangely vulnerable up on that stage, her throat scratchy for no good reason. She tried to talk again, she tried to _scream_ , but nothing came out.

Peeta's thumb was running soothing circles on her shoulder, his blue eyes on Glimmer.

"You know what? She's been after the star spot since the beginning of the week…" he whispered slowly. "You don't think…"

She shot another look at Glimmer and now that he said it she _really_ did think it.

That _witch._

She started heading toward the narrow steps that led down the stage and into the audience but Peeta held her back. "Wait, wait… We need proof. We can't just accuse her without proof. She must have a magic book or something."

"Katniss?" Effie insisted in a tight voice. "Are you singing or do you need a minute?"

Katniss waved her off angrily and stormed back downstage, barely listening as Glimmer volunteered to take her place. Of course.

Gale immediately descended on her from where he had been hovering toward the back of the set, his arm still strapped against his chest. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

She hoped her glare was answer enough.

Peeta winced. "Look, I know you want to help…"

"Oh, you _know_ , right?" Gale sneered. "Don't think I won't get you back for yesterday. You threw me under the bus to make yourself look good and you know it."

Katniss _really_ didn't feel like being ignored right at that moment. She stepped in between them and shoved Gale back, careful of the injured arm and her strength. It didn't physically hurt him but pain passed on his face all the same.

 _You're the one who screwed up_ , she wanted to shout so badly.

She deliberately turned her back on him, hoping the message would go through clearly enough, and stared at Peeta, lifting her eyebrows in question. It was a long minute before the boy stopped looking over her shoulder to meet her eyes.

"Okay. Where would a girl hide a book she doesn't want anyone else to see?" he asked. She shrugged her ignorance and he made a face. "She must have it here, right? I mean… I guess she could keep it at home but it all started _here_ with Livia so… _Think_. Where do you hide your Slayer stuff? Your bag?"

She only used her bag to carry her textbooks and her school stuff. Sometimes dead rabbits or birds if she went to hunt in the woods – something she hadn't indulged in for far too long.

With her hands, she mimed a door opening and closing.

"Her locker!" he exclaimed after a few seconds and then nodded. "Yes. Yes. Let's check that."

He grabbed her hand and tugged her along despite the fact she was perfectly capable of following him by herself. She was temporary mute, not deficient.

The hallways were empty, which suited them just fine. Peeta guided her to the right locker and then looked left and right while she discreetly broke the lock and tear the door open. There were a lot of glittery stuff in there but no matter how much she rummaged through the contents, she couldn't find any magic book.

"What are you doing?" Glimmer shrieked, heading straight toward them, her heels clicking on the linoleum floor just as aggressively as Effie's always did. "That's _it_! I'm going to talk to Heavensbee about you! You thief!"

Her big black purse was dangling from her arm and Katniss' eyes narrowed. The fact that _she_ didn't use her bag to hide her stuff didn't mean other girls _didn't_. She shot straight at her and Glimmer shrieked again – in fear this time. She snatched the bag and upturned it on the floor. School books, tampons, pencils, a pink-cased phone and a lot of knick-knacks scattered on the ground. Katniss dove for the books, checking they were really textbooks and not spellbooks in disguise.

"We _know_ it was you." Peeta accused, distracting the gaping girl from Katniss' search. "You summoned a wish demon."

"I summoned a _what_?" Glimmer repeated, clearly baffled. Then she rolled her eyes and pushed Katniss away, crouching down to toss everything back into her purse, glaring at her all the while. "I don't know if this magic stuff is the latest fashion where you come from but let me tell you it's so _retro_ it's _lame_. First Marvel, then you…"

"What?" Peeta frowned. "Marvel?"

Glimmer rolled her eyes again. "He was all about that book he found at that antic store his mother dragged him to last week. So lame. Do I _look_ like I have time for this childish games?" She glared at Katniss. "I'm not done with _you_. I _will_ report you."

Katniss rolled her eyes. _Report away_ , she thought. She looked up at Peeta who nodded. The coincidence was too big.

"Where's Marvel now?" he asked.

Glimmer snorted. "Why? You want to break into _his_ locker and upturn _his_ bag too?" She waved it off, as if she was entirely bored with the conversation now – which she probably was. She headed up to her locker, scowled when she realized the door was broken, and eventually located a lipstick inside that she started applying on her lips. That was probably why she had come over there in the first place. "He said he wanted to work out."

One look and she and Peeta were running toward the gym. Katniss hesitated only a second in front of the boys' locker room before barging in after Peeta. Lucky for her, Marvel was already wearing shorts and was slipping a tee-shirt over his head – there were things she didn't want to see.

She shot past Peeta, grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the wall of lockers.

"What the…" he spat.

Then he tried to shrug her off.

 _Good luck with that,_ she thought with satisfaction,

Slayer against regular teenager boy, no matter how strong, wasn't an even match.

"What the _fuck_!" Marvel snapped. "Mellark, get your watchdog off me! _Freak_!"

"What were you thinking, Marvel?" Peeta snapped, right back, heading straight to the still open locker. He rummaged through clearly dirty clothes and came up empty-handed. "Where's the book?"

"What book?" the other boy challenged.

Katniss slammed him against the wall again. Not too hard but hard enough to bruise.

"She means the magic book." Peeta replied. "You know? The one you just used to steal her voice?"

Marvel glanced at her, a glint of fear in his eyes, but it was Peeta he was really looking at, as if she wasn't the serious threat in the room. "Come on, man… That's _bull_ , you know. It's just for fun. Don't tell me you believe…" She really wasn't that nice when she slammed him against the lockers for the third time. "Okay, okay! It's in my bag!"

It took Peeta a few second to locate the bag and then upturn it like Katniss had done with Glimmer's. Eventually, he lifted up a thin black book in triumph and wedged it into the back pocket of his jeans tugging a piece of paper from his other pocket.

"You have to read the counterspell." Peeta commanded. "And you better _mean_ it if you don't want the demon to come and pop _your_ head off."

"You're crazy." Marvel spat. "Demons don't exist. It's just…"

"So you didn't wish Livia had warts and Fanny would break her leg and you didn't wish Katniss lost her voice?" he mocked.

Katniss would have growled if she had been able to produce sound.

"It's just crazy coincidences, man." Marvel shook his head, battling at her wrists. She didn't loosen her grip. "Glimmer wanted the last spot so bad… But I didn't do _anything_. It was just for fun…"

Katniss glanced at Peeta and rolled her eyes, nodding at Marvel so he would get a move on.

"Read the counterspell." Peeta urged, holding the piece of paper in front of his eyes.

Marvel stuttered the required sentences in what sounded like a very approximate Latin to Katniss' ears. She felt the rush of something she was starting to associate to magic a second after he was done. She took a deep breath and growled. This time, her voice worked.

" _Asshole_." she spat. Just because she could.

" _Bitch_." Marvel replied without missing a beat, a sneer on his lips.

She didn't even feel the slightest bit bad when she knocked him off. She was just careful not to hit hard enough to leave lasting damages.

"Won't you get in trouble?" Peeta winced.

"You think he is going to tell around that he got his ass kicked by a girl?" she scoffed, leading the way out of the locker room. "What is it with boys who think girls can't do stuff by themselves? I don't like Glimmer much but I don't think she'd be happy to get the star spot just because _her boyfriend_ handed it to her."

"Boys can be stupid when they like a girl." Peeta sighed and, because she tossed him a suspicious glance, he added. "I guess."

"Boys can be very stupid alright." she snorted. "Do you think Gale will try something?"

Worry pierced through her despite her best effort. Haymitch had ranted long and hard enough the previous night on patrol for her to figure out any attempts at removing her powers would backfire spectacularly.

"I don't know." Peeta hesitated. "We could try to talk to him. Explain again. But… Maybe not with Haymitch present."

Haymitch _really_ wanted to strangle him and she couldn't blame him.

The thing was… She had explained things to Gale until she was blue in the face. She didn't think anything else she could say would make a difference.

"He _really_ was looking into a way to get rid of my powers?" she insisted, still disbelieving.

Not being the Slayer… She didn't remember what it felt like. She had been miserable before Haymitch had walked into her life. Despite the vampires, despite the destiny and the limited lifespan… Now, she had enough money to take care of Prim like her sister should be taken care of, her mother had a good doctor and she was doing a little better, _she_ had a purpose… And she had _Haymitch_. It was new and she was still getting used to the idea that she could plainly rely on someone, but she trusted Haymitch more than she had trusted any other adult in a very long time. She had made new friends, _good_ friends…

What did she have before? Evenings spent roaming the woods in hope of catching dinner so her sister didn't go to bed with only cereals in her belly? She had only been able to rely on Gale then and maybe that was what the other boy couldn't stomach. Now she didn't need him as much anymore.

Being the Slayer might have been a curse for some but for her… For her it hadn't been all bad.

As long as Prim remained safe and happy, she could deal with anything.

"I'm sorry." Peeta offered again.

They were reaching the auditorium and she shook her head. It really wasn't his fault.

She joined Haymitch at the back of the room. Her Watcher looked ready to bash his head against the wall if only it would take him out of there quicker. He brightened up a little when he spotted them. "So?"

"So, it's taken care of." she answered and he smirked.

"Glimmer, right?" he asked.

"Marvel." Peeta corrected.

"Yeah?" Haymitch's eyebrows shot up. "Didn't see that one coming."

"Apparently the school is full of boys who know better than girls what is good for them." Katniss deadpanned.

"Hear, hear." Effie sighed, joining them. "Is it done?" They caught her up and she beamed. "Very well done, dears. Isn't it very well done, Haymitch?"

He rolled his eyes but humored her by patting Katniss on the head. She batted his hand away with a glare. She wasn't a dog.

"Good job, girl." he praised anyway. Then, his eyes fell on Peeta who had been avoiding his gaze and generally looked _very_ ill-at-ease. "You too, boy. So, you're back on the team full time or what? I need help with the research."

Peeta's smile, Katniss decided, could have lit up the whole room. She flushed a little as she thought that and cleared her throat.

" _Alright_." Effie declared, her voice rising up a notch in excitement. "Now that this is settled… Katniss, you are up next. Warm up."

"What?" Katniss asked, a little strangled. "But it's over! I don't need…"

"I am still missing a star act." The Art teacher dismissed, placing her hands on her shoulders and steering her toward the stage. "Think of it as a reward. You _earned_ it."

" _Earned_ _it_?" she screeched, twisting her head to look at Haymitch and Peeta, pleading for help. Neither of them moved. _Cowards_.

Effie wouldn't listen to her well-funded objections and she wasn't happy until she was up on the stage.

She also had the nerves to tell her not to scowl because it would give her wrinkles.

* * *

 _so it wasn't Glimmer after all ;) Next week we have a talent show and show overdue conversations! Let me know your thoughts!_


	29. E4: Make A Wish (7)

7.

* * *

"I can't believe you're doing this." Prim pronounced, clearly fighting laughter.

Katniss resisted the childish urge to stick out her tongue at her and closed her eyes so her sister could finish applying the make-up that was, apparently, non-optional. Madge turned the bird pin between her fingers and tried to hide her chuckles, a bit ill-at-ease maybe. She and Katniss had been on slightly rocking ground since the Maysilee reveal but she trusted Madge when she said she hadn't meant Haymitch to almost have a heart attack so… She had decided to let it go.

The classroom-turned-dressing-room was too noisy and crowded for her taste and she would have skipped that part of the process entirely if Prim hadn't insisted. She was wearing the yellow dress Effie had given her and her mother had actually gotten out of bed to do her hair earlier. The whole thing felt _big_ in ways that were entirely uncomfortable given that she didn't see the point of walking out on that stage and making a spectacle of herself.

"I can't believe it either." she grumbled.

Truth be told, she was still looking for escape routes.

"Mr Abernathy couldn't get you out of it?" Madge asked.

"He barely managed to get me off the hook because of Glimmer." Katniss made a face, prompting Prim to let out a dismayed noise and accuse her of sabotaging her work. She elected to ignore it just like she had chosen not to doubt a twelve year-old's skills with make-up. When it came to Prim, she had complete faith in her abilities. "That little snitch…"

A little snitch who was saying all around the school that not only was she a thief who broke into lockers but that she had disappeared with Peeta in the men's changing rooms. Everyone had their opinions about _that_.

Haymitch had been forced to _carefully_ diffuse the thievery accusation – not easy because of her past – and Heavensbee wasn't entirely happy with her still. Not doing the talent show at that point would have been ill-advised _–_ that _and_ Effie might have _literally_ cursed her for ruining her big night.

Prim seemed to be done with her eyes so she cautiously opened them again while her sister compared different shades of red lipsticks. She met Madge's gaze and her friend smiled, carefully pinning the bird brooch on her chest.

"Do you want it back?" Katniss asked. "You've got so little of your aunt…"

"I think it belongs with the Slayer." Madge refused, her smile dimming just a little. "I'm almost done reading the journal Miss Trinket gave to me, you know. Maysilee was… She was a hero. You _all_ are."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm no hero, Madge."

"Yes, you are." Prim argued. "Puck out your lips."

She frowned. "Are you _sure_ you know what you are doing?"

"Do I wear make-up every day?" her sister retorted.

Her frown deepened. "Not that I know of."

She wasn't sure she liked the thought of her baby sister wearing make-up so young.

"That should answer your question, then." Prim cheekily retorted.

"You might want to wipe off some of that eyeshadow…" Madge warned.

Katniss didn't even have time to protest before Prim was applying the lipstick.

Two seconds later, Effie was standing at the doorframe and clapping her hands to get everyone's attention. "It is showtime! Today is a big, big, _big_ day! We cannot be late!" Everyone started filling out of the room and Katniss was standing up too, her legs strangely jelly-like, when the Art teacher caught sight of her and made a face. "Oh dear. That _won't_ do. That won't do _at all_." She pushed Katniss back down on the chair and shooed Madge and Prim away before cleaning off her face with the wipes Madge had brought, clucking her tongue all the while. "You look like a cave painting!"

She didn't dare protest. Besides, she had a feeling Effie, unlike Prim, _knew_ what she was doing. The woman had her ready in record time, chatting all the while about why Katniss shouldn't be nervous and giving unnecessary tips to fight off stage fright.

"You look _perfect_." Effie declared at last, her approving gaze roaming over her. "I _knew_ that dress was made for you. You will make them _all_ mad. They will either want to kiss you, kill you or _be_ you."

The witch said it like it was a good thing.

"Thanks." Katniss said, not quite sure what she was thanking her for.

Effie beamed, her lips stretching into a happy grin and ushered her toward the auditorium.

"Now, remember…" the Art teacher whispered before leaving her alone backstage to wait for her turn. "Eyes _bright_ , chin _up_ , smile _on_."

Well…. Katniss thought, watching her slipping through the curtains to welcome the parents, students and teachers who had bothered to show up, it was either doing what she advised or letting the nausea win.

"Katniss?"

She turned by reflex, registering the voice only too late. Gale stood there, hesitant.

"You look nice." he said.

"I'm not ready to talk to you yet." she snapped.

"Please." he insisted. "I just…"

"I _said_ I'm not ready to talk to you." she cut him off with a hiss.

He studied her for a second and then turned away, shaking his head. It hurt her to watch him go but, for now, it was for the best.

She couldn't trust him, that was the sad truth.

°O°O°O°O°O°

The talent show was just on the right edge between _alright_ and _disastrous_ to be entertaining. If Peeta, Prim and Madge had been the kind for harsh criticisms, they would have had a lot of fun. As it was, they simply exchanged eye rolls and knowing smiles every time something awful happened on stage.

At some point, Peeta spotted Haymitch leaning against the wall, keeping a bored eye on the stage and he excused himself from the girls before starting the long full of "sorry" road that got him out of the row of chairs they were sitting on. The History teacher didn't say anything when Peeta joined him, simply took a discreet sip of his flask.

"I can't believe Katniss is really going to sing." he commented, unable to refrain his excitement. It had been _years_ since he had heard her sing but his childhood self still remembered the thrill of it.

"That's how you know Trinket's a witch." Haymitch snorted. "All senses of the term."

"Effie's nice." he snapped, a bit defensively.

He knew Katniss had wanted to bail out of the talent show but thanks to Glimmer's not really untrue accusations, she hadn't had a real choice. Besides, Effie had been adamant they didn't have time to change anything now and that the show had to go on exactly as it had been rehearsed the previous day. Peeta thought she took her role as a director with a little too much seriousness and dedication because, as Haymitch had pointed out, this wasn't Broadway, but Effie was kind and good-hearted underneath all the flourish and he felt compelled to defend her.

"Didn't say it was a bad thing, now." the Watcher snorted, an amused smirk dancing on his lips. " _I_ 've got no problem with witches. Hold your horse."

Peeta searched his face, having zero interest for the magic tricks happening on stage. They were cheap, not really impressive, and now that he had seen real magic, held little fascination for him. Even if he could admit the boy was good at his trade. It wouldn't score him many points with girls, Peeta figured, but he was good.

Finally, he realized that despite the incessant arguments and burgeoning fights, Haymitch really hadn't made it sound like being a witch was a bad thing. If anything, he had seemed _fond_.

Maybe Effie was growing on him after all.

Peeta leaned back against the wall and watched what was happening on stage for a while. When the would-be magician bowed and Effie introduced the next performer, he slouched a little.

"I'm sorry I disappointed you." he mumbled, feeling the knife twist in his heart again. He didn't blame Haymitch for being so angry with him the other day but the rejection had stung.

"Guess I could say the same." Haymitch muttered. "Look…"

"You were right. I should have talked to Katniss or you the moment Gale came up with this." he sighed. "I don't even know… I just needed space and then…"

"Then you realized you didn't _want_ space." Haymitch finished for him. "It's alright, kid. Sometimes I forget what it's like to be a sixteen year-old boy." He sighed. "Never mind a _regular_ one."

Peeta rubbed the spot on his left forearm where the burn had finally peeled away, leaving a fresh pinkish scar. "I'm not exactly a regular one, though, right?"

He wasn't sure what had made him say it, all the more so in that vulnerable tone of voice. Predictably, because he never missed much, Haymitch's grey eyes tracked his hand and where it was rubbing.

"About _that_ …" the Watcher said slowly, almost _carefully_. "I ain't gonna force you to tell me what you're not ready to tell me… But, kid… If you need a place to stay…"

"Effie told you." he cut him off. He flushed so hard he could feel the tip of his ears burning.

"Of course, she told me." Haymitch scoffed.

"Is that why you followed me last night?" he challenged. "To make sure I went home?" At the man's slight frown, he shrugged. "The bike isn't really unremarkable, Haymitch."

A part of him had told himself it was because Haymitch didn't trust him anymore, that the Watcher thought he would be meeting with Gale or…

Relief, as tentative as it was since the Watcher had yet to confirm, washed over him in a cool wave.

"You _can't_ sleep outside." Haymitch enounced clearly, even a little firmly. "It's _too_ dangerous. My point is… I ain't gonna force you to talk to me but if you need a place to spend the night again… Or a few days even… You don't set camp in your car, boy, you come to _me_. Doesn't matter if I'm angry with you, alright? I'm never gonna be so angry I want to leave you to the streets. You can talk to her about it, but I'm pretty sure same goes for Trinket. You've always got a roof if you need it, understood?"

There was a very big lump in Peeta's throat and all he could do was nod. If he had tried to talk, his voice would have cracked and it would have been embarrassing.

Haymitch watched him for a minute and then sighed, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. He flinched a little but it was reflex and the Watcher didn't seem to take offense because he gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"Kid, as far as I'm concerned you're just as mine as Katniss is now." the Watcher declared. "And I take care of mine. Won't lie, I don't have the best track records but… _I take care of mine_."

He was pretty sure Haymitch wasn't expecting the hug because he awkwardly patted his back before letting go, clearing his throat. The Watcher looked a little embarrassed, probably because he didn't like dealing with anything resembling feelings. The Maysilee/Madge thing had proved that if anything.

Finally, Effie announced Katniss and Peeta stood a little straighter. When his friend walked on stage, he sucked in a breath. He hadn't seen her before and she looked… The yellow dress looked soft against her olive skin, her hair was up and twirls of gold ribbons had been braided into it, it gave the impression she had a crown on her head when the spotlights hit it just right, the make-up – and had he ever seen her wearing any? – made her eyes darker, gave her a dangerous edge… She looked blinding.

If he hadn't been in love before, he certainly was now.

"Pick up your jaw, kid." Haymitch advised, contained laughter in his voice.

Peeta closed his mouth but didn't once glanced away from her. That was how he missed Effie sneaking out of the backstage area and joining them.

"Doesn't she look wonderful?" she whispered, with a manic grin.

Katniss looked ill-at-ease on that stage but then she closed her eyes and started to sing. _Deep In The Meadow_ was a local lullaby that Peeta had heard a thousand times. But never like this. A hush fell on the audience with her first notes, her voice was so pure, so perfect, so full of _feelings_ …

He barely felt Haymitch's hand finding his shoulder again, barely noticed the man leaning in.

"You're in too deep, boy." the Watcher commented in his ear, a little mocking but not without compassion.

Peeta threw him a quick glance, noticed the way Effie had sneaked both her arms around his and was hugging it close to her chest, her eyes on Katniss, teary from the song…

Maybe he was in too deep, he thought, but he had the feeling he wasn't the only one.

°O°O°O°O°O°

Haymitch should have left the bed the moment they were done.

The problem hadn't arisen the other night – mostly because they had never made it to the bed, they had barely made it inside and Trinket had been the only one with no clothes on by the time Katniss had called about the demon, he had still been on his knees and there had been no time to make it _fair –_ but he knew if he lingered too long he would be setting a precedent that he wasn't sure he wanted to deal with.

And yet, there he laid, with one hand distractedly brushing up and down her naked back, his eyes studying the walls of her bedroom.

"This place looks like a brothel." he snorted eventually.

Who painted their bedroom crimson?

"Are you complaining?" she grinned, pillowing her head on her arms to look at him. She was lying next to him, on her stomach, unconcerned by the fact the sheets had fallen off the bed at some point.

He liked that about her, how unconcerned she was with nudity, how confident she was about her body… Some women snatched the sheets up as soon as the deed was done, she didn't mind him looking – _admiring_ – and there was a lot to look at. The hand roaming on her back traveled lower until he found her ass…

He was on his side, turned toward her and maybe that, too, was a mistake. It betrayed an interest he was pretty sure he didn't want to deal with any more than he wanted to shoulder her possible expectations. His interest gave her power over him and he hated it when someone had something to hold over him.

But, _fuck_ , if he could stop himself from wanting her…

"Fits you." he teased.

Another woman might have taken offense – and she was always behaving so prim and proper he almost expected her to – but she laughed instead, as confident in her skills in the bedroom as she was about her appearance. She had reasons to be though.

Her smile softened a little as she searched his face. "Tonight was amazing, wasn't it?" A smug smirk stretched his lips but she rolled her eyes before he could answer that with a taunt about his own _many_ skills. "Take your mind out of the gutter, Haymitch, really! I meant _the talent show_. It went well, didn't it? Plutarch congratulated me twice."

"You _do_ get the teacher thing is only a cover story, yeah?" he mocked.

"It is no excuse _not_ to do the best job we can." she argued with a pout that he considered kissing away for a good minute.

He might have if she hadn't shivered.

"Cold?" he asked, already glancing around for a corner of the blankets he could tug on with his foot. Picking up the sheets would have meant moving and, if he moved, he knew he would have to go. He didn't want to go just yet.

"I saw Gale talking to Katniss." she told him. "She rejected him."

"Good." he commented, letting go of his quest for the blankets. She didn't actually look cold, just… worried. "What? Spit it out, sweetheart."

She hesitated, he saw it plainly. She hesitated and then bent her leg so her shin was pressed against his thighs. It was casual, it could have passed for an accident, but it looked a little _too_ casual. He had a feeling she was just searching for _contact_ , for _comfort_ maybe.

"Do you think… Do you think it might have worked? His plan to force the Slayer's line on me?" she whispered.

She hid it well because she was good at always keeping up a pretence but he heard the fear in her voice.

"It'd have killed Katniss." he argued. And he dearly hoped the boy had given up on that stupid idea. He'd need to sit him down and have a talk with him again soon. Once he was sure he had calmed down enough that he would not try to strangle him again.

"I know." She shifted again, turning completely away from him until all he could see was her back and her slender neck. He stubbornly placed his hand on her hip, refusing to be dismissed that easily. There was a scar on her hipbone. There were a few others on her body, none too noticeable. He liked them. It proved she was a fighter too – if that still needed to be proven. She curled up. "But do you think… Do you think it would have worked or would the next Slayer have been called?"

"Do you _want_ to be the Slayer?" He frowned, not quite following her. It was never going to happen anyway. No spell like that existed, it would have to be created. And Hawthorne didn't have the means, the resources or the power to do it. Sure, he could probably hire someone to do it for him but…

"No." The answer was immediate and followed by another of those shivers that didn't seem to come from the cold.

He deliberated for a second and then threw caution to the wind. He snuggled close behind her, spooning her. Spontaneous cuddles were a big _no-no_ with one-night-stands, he reminded himself. And yet the tension in her body slowly eased and he considered it a win.

"What's up with you?" he asked, letting his hand slide down from her hip to her stomach.

She grabbed the hand and brought it up to her breast. He didn't mind that sort of cuddling session _at all_ so he fondled it while she talked. "I have been thinking…"

"Told you you'd end up hurting yourself…" he taunted. His punishment was immediate. She relocated his hand to her stomach again. He hid his sulk in the soft curls of her hair, nuzzling her nape in something that wasn't quite an apology. "Fine. What have you been thinking about?"

"Fate." she murmured. "Do you believe in fate?"

Hard not to when it had dictated most of his life, calling his mother and his girlfriend to serve in a hopeless holy war against evil. Hard not to when he had witnessed firsthand how cruel it could be.

"I believe fate's a bitch." he offered honestly. "What's it got to do with anything?"

"I might have been a Slayer." she answered. "I might have been the Slayer instead of Maysilee twenty years ago. Perhaps the Council would have sent me here. Perhaps you would have been my Watcher…"

"More likely you'd have kept _your_ Watcher, Princess." he countered and then conceded. "But they might have sent me to help."

"Chances are we would have met then." she insisted. "Chances are I would be dead."

"No chances about that." he said, almost regretfully. "You'd _be_ dead."

Something would have gotten her at some point or other with or without his personal determination to keep her safe. Even the best Slayers fell eventually.

And history had proven he was not much of a body shield. He stood back up every time but his girls… His girls always fell.

"Yes." She licked her lips, burrowed back a little. He tightened his hold, not liking that line of thoughts any more than she did. Imagining her dead was strangely disturbing. "My point is… Here I am now, twenty years later, in the town I would have been sent to if I had been called, in a relationship with _you,_ and a boy talks about making me the Slayer even though I am supposed to be free from that possibility… It all feels a little too much like fate and I cannot help but wonder… Are those omens? Am I going to die here now like I might have twenty years ago?"

When she presented it like that…

"We ain't in a relationship." he countered because that was the easiest thing to deny. The only one he was in any position to deny with certainty, really.

"Of course, we are." she argued. He tensed but before he could panic or lose his temper, she wrapped her fingers around his forearm. "I do not mean a _romantic one_. We can… We can keep the sex casual, if you wish. But we _do_ have a relationship now. A working one if anything. I would like to think we are friends at the very least too."

And she was right, he figured.

He sighed and scooted back so he had enough space to force her to roll on her back. She did so willingly enough, searching his eyes. She looked so small and frightened… He didn't like that. He brushed the back of his fingers on her cheek, gently nudged her chin up a little…

"Fate has biggest fish to fry than you, Effie." he said slowly, forcing his tone to sound mocking. "You've got such an _ego_ … Everything has to be about you, yeah? There _are_ some things like coincidences, you know."

But that was bigger than a few coincidences and they both knew it.

"It is the first time you called me Effie." she remarked, brushing her hand down his chest.

He felt a change of topics was in order. "So… The casual sex… How would it work?"

The gloomy thoughts slowly vanished from behind her eyes, replaced with amusement and a touch of arousal – although that might have been because his hand had wandered down her stomach.

" _Casual_. As the name implies." she deadpanned, letting her legs fall open. One of them was propped against his stomach and he hooked his arm around it for better access… "Haymitch…"

"I've never done that kind of things." he admitted. He had one-night-stands. A relationship, even a casual one… He hadn't had that since he had been sixteen. He had never even slept twice with a woman since… "Ain't sure how it works."

"Well…" She was a little short of breath and he dropped a kiss against her shoulder with a smirk before moving his mouth to her breast. " _Oh_. There would be… No strings attached… You are free… I am free… But if we are both in the mood…"

The breathy pauses in the middle of her sentences made it very hard for him to stay focused.

"No complications." he insisted. "No dating. No feelings."

"No dating, no feelings." she agreed, her head falling back a little when his fingers hit the right spot. " _Yes_ …"

He brought her close a few times only to leave her hanging, amused by the pleasure and the frustration battling on her face.

"I've got a question…" he said against her mouth. It might not have been the best time to ask it but it had been on his mind for the past couple of days. Since the hospital. "You like girls too?"

Her eyelids flew open and she searched his eyes for a while before licking her lips. She didn't stop rocking her hips.

"I like people." she answered. "No matter the package. Is that a problem?"

She asked it in a very detached tone that told him it _had_ been a problem before.

He had never really found himself in that situation before and he had never really needed to consider it but he found that he already had an answer ready and that it was an easy one. "Not as long as you like _my_ package."

The way she kissed him next made him dizzy with lack of oxygen. From then, it grew wild and rough.

He briefly wondered if it could ever be _anything_ but wild and rough. And then he stopped thinking.

Temptation.

Giving in to it was the first step on the slippery path that went down to hell…

Well…

It looked like he was hell bound.

* * *

 _And it's the end of this episode! I hope you enjoyed it! What do you think the future holds for them? Find out in two weeks time in our new episode!_


	30. E5: The Struggle Within (1)

_Episode 5 is heeeeeeere! We go for some heavy character centered problems this time! I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did writing it! Let me know!_

* * *

 **The Struggle Within**

* * *

1.

* * *

Katniss dreamed in red.

 _Three vampires, two men and a woman, a sea of blood, dozens of children dead and drained, an old man with deranged eyes she instinctively knew to be Corolianus Snow whispering that he was coming, the end of the world… Blood. Blood everywhere._

She woke up with a strangled cry that startled both her sister and the cat at the foot of the bed. She sucked in big gulps of air, her stomach cramping in fear…

"What's wrong?" Prim asked, both sleepy and worried, rubbing her back. "Katniss? Are you sick?"

She was shaking.

The three vampires… They were the Careers. She knew it in her guts. She knew it in her guts the same way she knew the old man was Snow. The same way she knew this wasn't any other nightmare. _Instinct_. Instinct was everything.

 _Slayer dream._

The term came back to her, from the _vampyr_ book she kept under the bed. Not unlike the nightmares that had plagued her since her childhood but more powerful, similar to those that had prevented her from sleeping the week before Haymitch had found her, the week before he had told her she was the Slayer.

 _Prophetic dreams_. _Warnings from beyond._

"Katniss?" Prim asked.

All that blood… All those dead people…

"Grab a bag." she said, her voice shaky and frightened. "Everything you don't want to leave behind. Grab the cat too."

Prim's hand left her back and her sister rubbed her eyes, slowly becoming more awake. "Where are we going?"

 _Far_ _away_.

 _Far far away._

Katniss was already out of bed, already filling a sport bag with unsteady hands… Where would they go? She wasn't sure. But they needed to leave. _Now_.

She didn't answer Prim's questions, she rushed to her mother's bedroom. She tried to shake her awake, tried to make her sit, tried to make her _care_ … Her meds had knocked her out and there was no getting a reaction out of her.

Katniss bit down on her bottom lip and contemplated the problem only to decide it was one for later. She swung by the living-room, grabbed the family pictures and tossed them in the bag with everything else. Prim was packing toiletry bags, still looking sleepy in her pink pajamas.

Katniss didn't bother getting out of her own pajama pants and old tee-shirt. There wasn't time. They needed to leave town. Once they would be away… Once they would be _away_ she would get changed, take a deep breath and stop shaking.

She rummaged around her jacket pockets for her phone, grumbling under her breath because she was always losing it… When she finally found it, her heart was still hammering in her ribcage and she was wondering if it would ever stop.

The phone rang and rang and rang… She was about to hang up and try someone else when a sleepy male voice finally answered. " _What's wrong? Do you need help?"_

She could have wept at the sound of Peeta's voice and she almost _did_. "You need to come to my house. Pack a bag. We're leaving town."

" _What?"_ he asked, a lot less sleepily. " _What are you_ …"

"Peeta, they're coming." Katniss rushed out in a panicked whisper, mindful of her sister in the bathroom. "We need to get out while we can."

There was a beat of silence on the other end of the line. " _Who's coming? And… My family…"_

Her heart missed a beat. His family. She had forgotten about them. Two older brothers who lived downtown with wives of their own, and his parents… The same went for Gale. And _Madge,_ she remembered belatedly. It wouldn't be a discreet exit if she took all those people with her. And, obviously, she couldn't leave Haymitch behind. Nor Effie, she supposed.

But she couldn't stay at the trailer park either.

The trailer didn't feel safe.

The trailer didn't feel safe and she couldn't help but think Prim would be the ideal target. She didn't have enough weapons here, she didn't have enough…

"Can you come get us?" she pleaded. "I need to get Prim to Haymitch's at least."

Haymitch would know what to do.

Haymitch would fix it.

" _Yeah. Sure. That, I can do."_ He was already moving. She could hear the ruffling of clothes, the clicking of keys. _"I will be there in ten."_ There was a pause and then. _"Are you alright?"_

She thought about lying but… Her palms were too clammy, her head was still half trapped in that nightmare and…

"I'm scared." she admitted in something that barely resembled her normal voice. She never sounded that fragile usually. Never sounded that _lost_.

" _I'm on my way."_ he repeated and his forced calm was comforting somehow.

They spent the next ten minutes trying to trap Buttercup in his transport case. They had just managed to get him – and Katniss had the scratched hands to prove it – when Peeta's headlights lined up in front of the house. The roar of his engine was loud and when he cut it, the two a.m. nightly silence slammed back down like a brick.

Katniss opened the door before he could knock, already swinging their bags toward the truck. Peeta watched her with wide eyes, eyebrows shooting up to his hairline, before rushing to help carry everything.

"You weren't kidding when you said you were leaving." he said, his voice rough from sleep. He hadn't bothered getting dressed either and he was wearing a thick zipped-up flannel sweater over his pajamas. His jaw didn't look as smooth as usual and she briefly wondered if he shaved before chasing those thoughts away because they were neither here nor there.

"Prim, get in the car." she ordered.

"But what about Mom?" her sister argued, clutching Buttercup's case to her chest.

"We'll come back for her when we have a plan." she promised. Prim still hesitated and she licked her lips. "Look, she's going to sleep all night. Vampires can't come in uninvited, she'll be fine."

"Then, _we_ should be fine too." Prim pointed out.

"There are more weapons at Haymitch's." she insisted. " _And_ a witch."

"Will Haymitch be okay with the _leaving_ _town_ part of the plan?" Peeta asked, incredulous, tossing the last bags in the trunk. "What happened anyway?"

Katniss ignored the question and climbed inside the truck, forcing Prim to do the same. She chewed on her fingernail until Peeta had pulled out of the trailer park. "I had a dream."

"I am going to take a wild guess and say it wasn't about people living in harmony." he joked. But under the light tone, he was worried too. He tossed her a glance. "What kind of dream?"

"The bad kind." she muttered, rubbing her face. "Do you think Haymitch will still be up? We came back from patrol a while ago."

"He doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who sleeps a lot." he shrugged, glancing at the rearview mirror. "You're alright back there, Prim?"

Prim was sleepy and a little sullen, probably worried for their mother. She was still clutching the cat. "I'm okay."

"Should we get Effie when we arrive?" he asked Katniss next. "Did she come on patrol with you guys tonight?"

Katniss rubbed her face again. Peeta had started patrolling with her again, keeping her company when Haymitch couldn't come or he and Effie argued too much for her to stick around. After so many weeks of Gale following her every footstep, it was a little weird to have someone with her who actually _listened_ when she told them not to rush ahead at the vampires or demons.

She tried not to think about Gale too much as a rule lately. She had been avoiding him, as much because she was still angry as because she didn't know what to say to him.

What did you say to someone who tried to make a major decision for you behind your back?

Still, Peeta didn't come _every_ night and that day he had wanted to get a head start on a school project he had been neglecting.

"Yeah, she's the one who dropped me off." she answered eventually. "Haymitch had the bike so she took her car…"

Effie refusing to ride on the bike with Haymitch was quickly becoming a recurrent joke in their little group.

"Maybe we should get her a pink helmet." Peeta suggested, laughter in his voice. "What do you think, Prim?"

The ploy was obvious but Katniss shot him a grateful look anyway when her sister giggled.

"I think it should be pink _and_ have glitter." Prim answered.

"I'll get right on that." He nodded very seriously, driving the car into the Village. "Christmas is coming up."

"She's going to kill us." Katniss snorted.

"Less than Haymitch when you tell him you want to skip town in the middle of the night." Peeta pointed out and then fell silent. "Sorry."

"I know I sound crazy." she muttered, looking out through the window.

"Crazy or not, I'm with you." he promised.

"Me too." Prim added, promptly stifling a yawn against the sleeve of her pajamas.

Katniss should have told her to put a jacket on, she mused, even as she flashed the both of them grateful smiles. Her eyes lingered a little on Peeta and he held her gaze for a second too long. It wasn't uncomfortable though. For a moment, the fear that had her stomach in knots was replaced by strange butterflies.

Then, the truck lined up in front of Haymitch's house and he cut off the engine, peering out through the windshield. "Looks like Effie is already out for the night but there's light at Haymitch's."

One look in the backseat was enough to determine Prim was fighting off sleep.

"We'll settle down at Haymitch's first and then we'll go wake Effie up." she decided, climbing down.

The lights were on in her Watcher's living-room from what she could see. The first floor was dark though. She grabbed a few bags from the trunk, left the rest to Peeta and told Prim to keep a good hold on the cat's case because the last thing they needed was Buttercup running away.

She didn't knock or ring the doorbell, she let herself in the house like she usually did.

"Haymitch?" she called out. The lights were on in the hallway, the living-room and, she ascertained after a few steps, the library. She could _also_ hear fighting sounds. Grunts and repeated _banging_ … Her mind flashed back to her dreams. The three vampires, the blood… _Snow_. "Haymitch!"

She dropped the bags and rushed to the small trunk that was covered with a thick layer of dust and neatly tucked away between a dead plant and an ugly vase next to the stairs.

"What's wrong?" Peeta frowned, tossing the bags he was carrying to the side to place his hands on her sister's shoulders, ready to herd her off to safety. That was what she liked about Peeta. Gale would have already been right next to her looking for a weapon of his own, ready to fight with her, when what she _needed_ was someone to make sure Prim was alright.

"Get her out of…" she started ordering, faintly noticing that the banging and grunts had stopped, but she fell silent when Haymitch staggered out of the library.

He was bare-chested and barefoot, his pants were up but the belt was undone and he looked terribly disheveled. His eyes were bright and a little wild. He took everything in in one glance: Prim holding the cat case, the numerous bags scattered on the floor, their pajamas, Katniss crouching next to the weapons trunk…

"The _fuck's_ going on?" her Watcher asked. Alarm made him stand a little straighter. It wasn't the first time Katniss was seeing him bare-chested – they _did_ train together on a daily basis – but, as usual, her grey eyes were drawn to the ugly swollen scar on his side.

"I heard fighting noises." she retorted. "I thought you were under attack."

" _Ah_." It was all he said. He rubbed the back of his neck, looking ill-at-ease, and then seemed to remember he wasn't entirely dressed and quickly buckled his belt. "Sorry. We were…"

"Sparring." Effie declared, gliding out of the library, immaculate as usual in the same red dress she had been wearing on patrol. "We have been doing research for most of the night and felt the need to let out some… steam."

Haymitch tossed the witch a look but his face was blank. "Yeah. Right. What she said."

Katniss frowned harder. "Why are you half-dressed?"

"Cause I was too hot." Haymitch grumbled. "Didn't you hear? We were training. What's up with…" He swept an arm out, encompassing the bags and Prim. "Hey, sweetheart."

Her sister offered him a shy smile and a small wave. Prim hadn't exactly been in a lot of contact with Haymitch aside from that one time he had saved her from vampires and a few occasional chance meetings when he had picked Katniss up or dropped her off. "Hey."

Peeta cleared his throat and Katniss looked at him to see him patting his leg, his eyes on Haymitch. She turned back to her Watcher in time to see the man hurriedly burying something deeper in his pocket. Some sort of silky black fabric. A handkerchief maybe. Why he looked so embarrassed about it though…

Then, _Effie_ cleared her throat, her face a little red. "Is there an emergency?"

"Are you moving in?" Haymitch added. He didn't look entirely opposed to the idea but he did sound a little bit puzzled.

"I had a dream." Katniss announced.

"Not the fluffy kind." Peeta commented.

"The _grab everything and run_ kind." Prim nodded in agreement.

She tossed them both a look. "You two are _not_ being helpful."

"I can't be helpful when I'm tired." her sister argued, twisting her head to stifle another yawn against her shoulder since her hands were full.

"There's a guest room up the stairs to the right." Haymitch said, his voice softening. "It's probably a bit dusty but… Make yourself at home, kid."

"I will come up and help." Effie offered, already guiding Prim toward the stairs with a hand on her shoulder. "Perhaps, if there is no immediate life or death situation, you could make us all some hot cocoa, Haymitch. The children look frozen."

"Yeah. Okay." Haymitch agreed, surprisingly meek that night. Usually he shot down every of Effie's suggestions just for the fun of it. "Go to the library and…"

"The kitchen." Effie cut him off. "We made a mess with the… sparring."

"Right." the Watcher winced, nervously licking his lips. "No library. Kitchen. This way."

Peeta snorted and then coughed what suspiciously sounded like laughter.

"I'll take the bags up." he offered, hurrying up the stairs after Effie and Prim before anyone could stop him.

Katniss wasn't sure she was happy to be left alone with an odd Haymitch but she supposed she had brought it upon herself.

* * *

 _Slayer dreams, some packing, a scared Slayer, busy naughty Watchers... Did you enjoy this chapter? Let me know your thoughts!_


	31. E5: The Struggle Within (2)

2.

* * *

Katniss followed Haymitch into the kitchen, wondering why tonight was _so_ weird. She dropped on a chair and buried her face in her hands for a moment, letting the exhaustion wash over her. It was a good thing the next day would be a Saturday or she would probably have fallen asleep in Math again.

"Do you often _spar_ with Effie in the middle of the night?" she mumbled, a little mocking.

She was clueless about that kind of things, she would be the first to admit it, but she wasn't _that_ clueless that she couldn't take that kind of hints. She would have bought the training excuse if they had been doing it in the basement and if Haymitch's belt hadn't been undone.

Haymitch paused in front of the open fridge, his back on her, then he grabbed the carton of milk and sniffed it before pouring it in a pot.

"Sometimes." he answered a little too casually. He disappeared from the room long enough to come back with his crumpled shirt. He didn't bother with shoes.

By the time Peeta and Effie came back down with reports that Prim was settled, the hot cocoa was ready and Katniss was already holding her mug tight. She could feel the warmth of it under her palms but she didn't seem to be able to shake off the cold.

"I had a nightmare." she finally explained, swallowing hard. "It was… It was so _real_."

"Slayer dream." Effie hummed, her shoulders going rigid. "That's never pleasant."

"What would you know about it?" she hissed. She knew she was jumping at her throat for no good reason but she was tired and scared and Effie's dress was annoyingly _red_. Under the weak neon lights of Haymitch's kitchen, it looked a sad sort of crimson that reminded her of the rivers of blood in her dream.

"I have them occasionally." the woman offered with pursed lips. "I know you are tired but it is _no_ reason to be rude, Katniss."

"What do you mean, you _have_ them?" Peeta frowned. "I've read about Slayer dreams. Aren't they supposed to be only for… _the Slayer_?"

"The clarity of vision Katniss probably experienced tonight, yes." Effie explained. "Nightmares as omens of an apocalypse or when the imbalance with the forces of darkness are too great are common to all Potentials. They were stronger in my youth, I will admit, but they still happen from time to time. They are impossible for me to decipher though, they simply leave me with an impression of foreboding."

"Yeah?" Haymitch asked, his interest clearly piqued. "You still have them? Even so old?"

That warranted him a dark look and lips pursed even tighter. "Are you calling me _old_?"

"You know what I mean." he dismissed.

"You were a Potential?" Katniss cut in before they could get too seriously into bickering.

It didn't seem to be new information for her Watcher but Effie had never informed her of that little fact.

"Perhaps we could dive into my past another time." the witch deflected. "What was the dream about?"

She told them, adding all the details she could remember. The vampires, the dead children, the blood flooding the ground, Snow… She was shaking again by the time she was done and she tossed Peeta a grateful look when his hand hesitantly covered hers.

"It does not mean it will come to pass." Effie declared. "Slayers dreams are warnings, they do not…"

Haymitch stood up a little too abruptly and walked over to the counter to grab one of the sticky bottles of moonshine on display. They all watched, silent, as he poured himself a glass and downed it before refilling it again.

"Haymitch." the witch said firmly, a little reproachfully even. "Slayer dreams do _not_ predict the future."

"They're a good enough indication in my experience." He snorted. "Snow's gonna rise and we're all gonna die."

The way he said it sent a chill down Katniss' spine.

"We have to leave." she whispered. It was the only logical course of action, the only _sensible_ one.

"Do not be preposterous. We _cannot_ leave." Effie huffed. "Our duty…"

" _Fuck_ duty." Haymitch interrupted her, his back still turned on them. "It's her life."

"She is _the Slayer_." the Art teacher reminded him.

"Stop saying that like it means _shit_." he snarled, refilling his glass for the third time.

"We're leaving." Katniss insisted. "All of us. We're going to find a place not too far and regroup. And…"

"I'm not going anywhere." Haymitch countered.

"You _just_ said…" she argued.

"Snow's _my_ _fucking_ responsibility." he snapped. "If he breaks free, I'm gonna have to try to kill him."

"And get _yourself_ killed in the process?" Effie scoffed.

Another glass of liquor was downed. "If that's what it takes."

The Watcher's voice was hollow, bitter…

Katniss swallowed hard, torn with what her survival instinct was screaming at her and… "I can't leave you behind."

"Then, I guess you're not going anywhere either." Haymitch shrugged, finally turning around.

And she saw it on his face, the knowledge that he had never truly believed she _would_ leave. Because she was the Slayer and it was her duty to protect everyone from evil master vampires who wanted to conquer the world or die trying. _Probably_ die trying.

He had snapped at Effie because he wanted it to be her choice, not because she felt she _had_ to. Well… _Fuck._

She turned to Peeta. "You…"

"I'm staying with you." her friend pledged before she could finish. He squeezed her hand. "Until the end of the line, pal."

She hadn't even noticed he was still holding her hand.

The moment felt _huge_ somehow. They were sitting close and there was an intensity in his blue eyes, a _resolve_ … Yes, the moment felt huge. As if she was on the edge of…

She wasn't sure. But it scared her for different reasons that her nightmare had.

"Is that another pop culture reference you think I should know about?" she asked, to break the oddness of it.

His smile was immediate and a little boyish. "MCU is next on our movie nights."

Planning movie nights when they were willingly vowing to risk their lives might have been a bit ridiculous but, for some reason, it made her feel so much better. She squeezed his hand back and turned to Effie who was inspecting her manicure.

When the female Watcher realized all eyes were on her she gave a one shoulder shrug. "Do not look at me. My orders are clear, I am not going anywhere."

She made it sound light and a little dismissive but Katniss nodded to her in thanks all the same. They could use her magic powers.

"I think we should send my mom to that clinic." she said next, turning to Haymitch. She didn't like having to ask. She didn't like imposing on him so much but… "The doctor's been on my case for months about that."

"You don't trust her not to invite vampires in again." Peeta remarked.

"I don't trust her to protect Prim if it comes down to that." she agreed. "And the trailer park isn't safe enough."

"You _don't_ say." Effie muttered under her breath before taking a sip of her cocoa. It must have grown cold because she winced.

Haymitch's grey eyes were on her but he remained silent so Katniss trudged on. If he wanted her to spell it out, she _would_ spell it out. "We should move in here. Prim and I. She'll be safer here with one of you while I'm on patrol."

The safest bet would have been to send her sister _away_ but she had no one to send her to.

Still, Haymitch was silent, his face closed off and his eyes boring into hers.

Effie and Peeta were looking at both of them in turns.

Katniss' heart started racing in her chest when she realized with a sickening feeling what his silence meant. _He didn't want them_. And why would he? His job was to teach her and mentor her, not take care of her. He didn't want his house invaded by kids who would prevent him from _sparing_ with his neighbor witch in the library in the wee hours of the morning. He wasn't her father. He didn't owe her _anything_.

Still, the feeling of rejection was so strong, tears pricked her eyes.

Her cheeks burning red, she turned her head away.

"Never mind." she spat. "I'll think of something else."

She could feel Effie's concerned gaze and the glare Peeta was directing at Haymitch. She had a feeling the witch was going to offer her house and Katniss would have no choice but to accept, already knowing it would be a nightmare. The Art teacher would probably insist on rules and curfews and all the things Katniss didn't need.

She wasn't looking for a parent – and she told herself that _firmly_ , no matter how much she had come to rely on Haymitch without even realizing it – she just wanted a safe place. She had thought Haymitch was that for her but apparently she had been wrong.

The tension in the kitchen was so thick that when he finally spoke, everyone startled.

"This house's the first place Snow will strike." he said. "He's gonna come after you 'cause you're the Slayer and he's gonna come after me 'cause that's what he does best. And here's the first place he's gonna look for us."

"May I suggest we _move_ , then?" Effie cut in. "It pains me to say it now that my house is _finally_ finished but this town is not short of empty places…"

"We can't hide. He's gonna find us." Haymitch shook his head. "He's gonna find _me_."

The fear in his voice was palpable and it _shocked_ Katniss. He was always tense when they discussed the Careers or Snow but… She had never heard him so _afraid_ before.

"He can't get inside." she pointed out. "Even if he knows where we live…"

"He turned my brother and sent him right back here, hoping we'd let him in and he'd kill us all." he snapped. "Don't tell me he can't get inside 'cause I promise you he can find ways."

There was a long awkward silence.

"What do we do then?" Peeta asked after a while. "If there's no good option, why not run with the safest one? Strength in numbers, right? This place has locks on every doors and windows, there's a small armory in every room and there's a powerful witch across the street. It's like Fort Knox. Sure, there's a risk but… I think it's safer than the trailer and there are less people around who could become collateral damage if there _is_ a fight."

It was so like Peeta to think about possible innocent victims when she had only been thinking about her sister and herself that Katniss squeezed his hand again. She should probably let go, she told herself. She was behaving like a frightened child.

"If you do not want to host the girls, I can." Effie offered in a tentative voice. "I can add magical protections on both houses too. It won't be one hundred percent safe but…"

Haymitch made a move as if to bring the empty glass to his lips and then, upon realizing there wasn't any more liquor in it, he placed it down on the counter and grabbed the bottle's neck, directly gulping down from it.

"Ain't that I don't want the girls around, sweetheart." he grumbled, locking eyes with Katniss with a little too much intensity. " _Ain't_ that I don't want you around, girl. Any other time…" He shook his head again, slouching a little, looking defeated. "You've got no idea the games Snow gets up to… It's… It's gonna be _dangerous_ to be around me."

"Well, I'm not going anywhere either way." Katniss argued. "You're my Watcher."

"Maybe I shouldn't be." Haymitch muttered, his eyes dropping to the floor. "Maybe you just stick _away_ from me… Effie can…"

"No." both she and Effie refused at the same time. The witch took the time to send Katniss a slightly hurt look before huffing and turning toward Haymitch. "Your experience with Snow is _invaluable_." She clucked her tongue and waved her hand. "It is _too soon_ to worry about all this anyway. We can reconsider the arrangements _if_ and _when_ necessary but, for now, Snow is still _very much_ trapped in hell. We should focus on stopping the Careers." She reached out and loosely coiled her fingers around Haymitch's wrist. "I agree with Katniss. The girls would be safer here with you."

It took almost a whole minute before Haymitch looked up at her. They exchanged a long complicated gaze that made Katniss feel like an intruder.

She decided it was a good time to take her own hand back from Peeta. The boy startled a little and looked a little disappointed but he covered it with a small smile that she answered with one of her own.

"Alright." Haymitch finally agreed, turning back to Katniss. " _Alright_. Let's _fucking_ go to bed now. We can talk about the rest in the morning." His gaze shifted to Peeta. "You wanna stay too?"

The question was so purposefully left open Katniss couldn't tell if he meant for the night or forever.

"How many guest rooms do you have?" Peeta snorted.

"Prim and I can share." she offered. "We're used to it."

"There is always my guest room." Effie suggested, flashing Peeta an amused smile. "I know it is very pink for your taste but it is yours shall you _ever_ need it. You know that."

"Thanks, Effie." he answered with a softer smile. "I think I should go home tonight, though."

He stood up and it seemed to put an end to the impromptu reunion. Rubbing her eyes but unable to shake the weird exhaustion from her bones, Katniss mumbled her thanks and her goodnights and staggered up the stairs.

She felt like she could drop dead.

°O°O°O°O°O°

Haymitch waited until the boy was back in his truck and moving away before grabbing Effie's wrist. He knew she was puzzled by the fact he was bothering to walk her back to the end of his driveway because he usually never did. He trusted her to cross the street at night without getting herself attacked – and he trusted he would hear if she _did_ get attacked.

She frowned at him, tilting her head a little to the side in question.

They had become a little too good at reading each other in the last few weeks. His heart was in his throat and he was half convinced she could tell.

He didn't often freeze with panic. That wasn't him. He had seen too much, _done_ too much… But the thought that Snow… It was the kind of terror that was mind-debilitating. He couldn't go through that again. Watching his family, _his friends_ die one by one…

"I will have to inform the Council Katniss is living with you now." she told him quietly, glancing at the open doorway behind him.

"Inform away." he managed to croak out, sounding less sarcastic than he wanted.

Her eyelashes fluttered down and then up again. "I am not going to ask if you are alright because it seems like a stupid question."

"You should leave." he blurted out.

She frowned, confused. "You are the one holding my arm."

He let go, his fingers trailing down the back of her hand. "I mean leave town." She opened her mouth but he lifted his hand in the air to stop her. "I know you think you don't have a choice, what with Council _bullshit_ and fate and everything but _I_ 'm _giving_ you one, right now. It ain't gonna end well, Princess, I can feel it in my guts. Leave town. Go back to England. Get yourself a life that's not cloaked in _fucking_ darkness."

She cupped his cheek and, for a second, he let himself regret the fact they hadn't finished what they had started on the round table in the library – and he made a note to himself he needed to dispatch that used condom before one of the girls found it.

"I made my choice and I am staying." she told him with a small smile. "We're a team, aren't we?"

He closed his eyes and shook his head, burying his hands in his pockets. He could feel the lace of her panties against his knuckles from when he had hastily stashed them in there so the kids wouldn't see. He didn't offer them back.

"Just think about it." he urged.

She pressed a ghost of a kiss on his lips and then she was gone.

He watched her stride across the street, not going back inside until she had safely reached her house.

He had a bad feeling.

A _really_ bad feeling.

The same sort of bad feeling he had had the night his brother had been late to come home.

The same sort of bad feeling he had had every time he had lost a Slayer.

* * *

 _There you have it! Katniss isn't as clueless as she seems. Sometimes. Haymitch is freaaaaaking out. Will we survive this episode do you think?_


	32. E5: The Struggle Within (3)

3.

* * *

 _Katniss dreamt and her dreams were red._

 _Rivers of blood and Prim's screams of agony and an acute pain that started in her chest and spread to her extremities._

 _°O°O°O°O°_

 _Haymitch dreamt and his dreams were grey._

 _Pearly ghosts who accused him of failing them and a downpour of ashes and an acute pain that started in his chest and spread to his extremities._

 _°O°O°O°O°_

 _Prim dreamt and her dreams were white._

 _A thick coat of loneliness and screams without sound and an acute pain that started in her chest and spread to her extremities._

 _°O°O°O°O°_

 _Effie dreamt and her dreams were black._

 _Veins pulsing dark beneath her skin and raw power under her fingertips and an acute pain that started in her chest and spread to her extremities._

°O°O°O°O°

Effie felt restless.

She was sitting cross-legged in Haymitch's living-room with a stash of books, having fled the library and the occasional chatter of Peeta and Prim. The girl had been subdued ever since Haymitch had dropped her home after seeing her mother off earlier that morning. He had also given _her_ back her borrowed car with many mutters about it being too small and not speedy enough and a lot of adjectives that, as she pointed out, hinted he felt he had something to prove with the size of his vehicle, which she knew for a fact he didn't. He and Katniss had gone back out on the bike to take care of the legal side of things – because he couldn't just take the girls in and call it a day, there were papers to sign and lawyers to consult even with Aster Everdeen's agreement.

She and Peeta had been researching all morning with fervor but she was starting to think that if there ever was a single mention of the Careers in all the books in his library, it was well hidden. Even her faithful IPad hadn't given results and she had never felt so betrayed by technology before.

But, more than that, she was _on edge_.

Was it talking about Slayer dreams that had triggered nightmares? She didn't remember the dreams but she knew they had been bad, not _Slayer dreams bad_ but bad nonetheless. She had woken up hungry and aching. And not for food.

For a while she had been confused because she had equaled the sensation with arousal and something like _that_ had never happened to her – certainly not after a nightmare and not without at least a little stimulation. Saying she hadn't been frustrated to see her pleasure time cut short the previous night – all the more so when she had been about to finish – would have been a lie but frustration was nothing new and she could deal with it like a grown woman. That hadn't been it. The aching, the hunger, the _humming_ of her whole body… It had taken her a moment of lying in bed, short of breath and staring at the ceiling to realize it was _her magic_.

Her power, as her mother was fond of reminding her and contrary to Haymitch's preposterous beliefs, was weak. She had a good grip on it because of that and never before had it felt like a living thing. It was a tool for her to use, just like Katniss' bow or Haymitch's knife, just like her fists and feet when she actually _tried_ to apply her training. She knew for powerful witches magic had a will of its own, it could consume and burn you if you weren't careful but that had never been a problem for her.

Until that morning.

Her skin felt raw, her mind was jumbled, her mouth parched, she was hungry and aching and she wanted to do more, more, _more_ …

She heard the roar of the bike coming down the street and stopping in front of the house but she remained focused on skimming through an old Watcher's journal about a Greek Slayer, trying to find a hint of the Careers. The time frame could fit around the time the vampires had been sired.

"We've got burgers from Sae's!" Haymitch bellowed before the front door was even close. He must have been hungry, it was well past lunch time and it was good he remembered to feed the children. She had forgotten. "You… What the _fuck_?"

Effie winced and stopped herself from rocking on herself, wriggling her hands this way and that. She listened to the noises of hungry children stomping to the kitchen, the low rumble of voices and, then, predictably, looked up to see Haymitch leaning against the living-room's doorframe. He glanced at the flying feather duster in the air, the mop passing itself and the gleaming polish smearing itself on top of wooden furniture. Compared to the vacuum cleaners running by themselves at different points in the house and the scrubbing brushes and buckets taking care of the different bathrooms, the living-room was positively tame.

"Channeling your inner Mickey Mouse?" he deadpanned. "Only seen that cartoon once but if I remember right, didn't end _that well_ for him."

"Your house needed a good cleaning spree." she lied.

The truth was the hum under her skin had started to become painful and she had _needed_ an outlet to her magic that wasn't firing fireballs or covering something in frost. She had found the cleaning spell and she had used it but it hadn't been supposed to take _this_ scale. It should only have tackled one room at a time.

And it shouldn't have left her wanting more.

He studied her for a long minute, annoyance and concern battling on his face.

"You look terrible." he commented at last.

"Why, thank you." she huffed. "You do _not_ actually look smashing either."

He hadn't drunk in a while – he couldn't exactly take care of Katniss and Prim's guardianship business with whiskey on his breath – and it showed. His eyes were bloodshot and his fingers didn't appear to be able to keep still.

A bit like hers.

She wondered if he was itching for a drink as much as she was for another spell.

He didn't seem to be able to meet her gaze. His eyes kept flickering left and right, fixing on something for a second, staring at the air, and then coming back on her.

"Get rid of that _Fantasia_ stuff and come eat." he ordered.

"Burgers?" she sniffed disdainfully, stretching out the moment because if her magic wasn't supplying the cleaning spell she was actually afraid it would burn her inside out.

She gave up on the Watcher journal and waved her hand, making a spellbook appear in front of her with a _poof_ without even thinking about it. Haymitch didn't startle but his frown deepened. She didn't usually use magic that casually. She knew a cloaking spell against evil existed and if she could just cast it on both their houses, they would be safe from vampires, demons and anything with evil intentions. She could probably add a few more layers of wards too. That should keep her magic happy. It would take a lot out of her but she could probably do it if someone helped lending their own power, maybe Haymitch since he was at least a little used to magic. She would have asked Peeta but he was still a bit young.

"I got you a salad 'cause I know you like your rabbit food and I'm nice like that." he grumbled. "Come on. Whatever you're doing can wait."

"I think you will find it is called _healthy_ food, actually." she retorted.

And there was no escaping the healthy food, it seemed. Not even for more magic.

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and tried to ignore the dark pull of the Hellmouth under her feet. _Use me_ , it whispered in her mind without words, _abuse me_ , _I am yours to command, yours to wield…_ She muttered the right spell and buckets, broom, vacuum cleaners, mops and dusters clattered on the floor everywhere around the house. Another spell and they put themselves away.

Immediately, her skin felt too tight, her power buzzing under her skin.

Haymitch's hand hovered in front of her face and she took it by reflex, letting him pull her to her feet.

"You're good?" he asked, a little worried.

"Positively peachy." she lied. " _Famished_. How did it go with the lawyer?"

As predicted, with Mrs Everdeen having signed the right papers – with relief, apparently – and the Council's discreet nudge in the right place, there had been no trouble. Haymitch was now the legal – if temporary – guardian of two young girls. She almost congratulated him but he looked so lost and so tired she didn't dare, not even to tease.

Everyone in the kitchen was subdued. Peeta was the only one trying to keep up a cheerful front. Katniss was glowering at her fries, Prim looked sad, the ugly ginger cat was perched on the counter glaring at everyone and Haymitch didn't look any happier than the others.

She had been worried about having to hide the fact she wasn't hungry but she shouldn't have bothered.

Nobody ate much more than two mouthfuls.

°O°O°O°O°

Katniss was restless.

She was sitting at the library table, a pile of books it seemed they had consulted a thousand times already opened in front of her, already knowing they would find no mention of the Careers. Her grey eyes kept drifting to Prim who had curled up in an armchair in the corner with a book that had nothing to do with demons, vampires or hell portals – she had wanted to help them research but both she and Haymitch had put their foot down on the idea.

She was _on edge_.

She couldn't stop thinking something _bad_ was going to happen. To Prim specifically. There was a lump in her throat and it left her short of breath to even phantom the thought of her sister getting hurt or worse.

Haymitch and Effie were no help. Haymitch had spent the whole afternoon staring at nothing, sometimes startling for no reason, sometimes disappearing in the bathroom for entirely too long. As for Effie, she had been even more annoying than usual, using her powers for no good reason Katniss could see. She had made herself tea levitating everything and making the water boil with a flick of her wrist, she made books _poof_ in front of her, she had used her magic to _freshen_ up the house – or whatever she called it – making it look as if the coat of paint on the walls was new…

Katniss had kept waiting for Haymitch to snap at her but he was lost in his own world and she wasn't even sure he had noticed the changes.

It was Katniss who had told her to stop or go home, frustrated and angry. It was certainly nice to have a clean house but she was still freaked out by the casual display of magic. She had grown to know Effie enough to trust her but not to the amount of blind trust she had in Haymitch or, for that matter, in Peeta. And she was still _not_ entirely convinced magic could be good.

Which was why she startled when Effie came strutting back in the room with enough energy to make everyone uncomfortable, her phone still in her hand.

"Caesar said the Council has no clue where the Careers could be." the woman announced. "They might be on their way or they might already be here, there is simply no way to know."

Haymitch dragged his eyes away from the upper floor of the library. Katniss glanced again but she couldn't see what was so fascinating about the second floor pathway, only that it was empty and that, thanks to Effie's spells, it was now devoid of any speck of dust.

"Flickerman?" the Watcher hesitated with a frown. "Thought you were reporting straight to Coin."

"I am." Effie confirmed. "But I trust Caesar's information a lot more than I trust President Coin's. He would _never_ double-cross me."

" _Never_ 's a strong word." Haymitch scoffed, looking her up and down with a lazy sweep of his eyes. "Bit old for you, ain't he?"

Peeta hid his smile behind his hand but Katniss wasn't really interested in watching them bicker or flirt or whatever they called it. Her gaze darted to her sister again, making sure Prim was still breathing and alright. The girl had been out of sort since they had said goodbye to their mother that morning. Katniss couldn't pretend she didn't _care_ but she had been forced to carry the family for too long and her feelings toward her mother were very complicated. There was a lot of resentment there, she supposed, and not worrying about her accidentally taking _too much_ meds would be a relief.

"Do not be insulting." Effie snapped. "He was my Watcher."

That got her attention and Katniss turned her head toward the witch, studying her. She had felt a strange kinship the previous day when Effie had revealed that she had been a Potential. She could have been a Slayer. Well, she would have had to be dead for Katniss to stand there but…

" _Caesar Flickerman_ was your Watcher?" Haymitch repeated, disbelief and a touch of something Katniss hesitated to call respect in his voice. He tilted his head to the side, watching her with a calculating expression on his face. "They _really_ must have thought you could be it, then. He's kind of a Watcher legend."

"No more than Mags or anyone who has actually mentored a Slayer before." Effie argued, her cheeks flushing a little. "No more than _you_ for that matter. And I assure you it only took a couple of days for both of us to realize I would be a _dismal_ Slayer." She waved her hand. "The point is…"

"Still no lead." Haymitch sighed, rubbing his eyes. He checked his watch. "We should make it a long patrol tonight. Cemeteries, downtown, the woods and the Hellmouth. Maybe hit _Ripper's_ at some point, she might have information."

It wasn't really a suggestion. Haymitch didn't do suggestions when it came to patrolling, he just expected Katniss to follow his instructions. The thing was though… The simple thought of letting Prim out of her sight left her with her stomach in knots.

"I'm not patrolling tonight." she declared.

Everyone's head turned in her direction, staring at her as if she had just professed the most stupid thing ever, but it was Haymitch who scoffed first. "Like hell you ain't. Now _ain't_ the time to go soft, sweetheart. If the Careers are here, we need to know."

Katniss glared at him. "I'm not leaving Prim here alone."

There was a very long silence. Effie and Haymitch exchanged an unreadable look, Peeta was frowning at her and Prim pouted.

"I'm alright to stay here." her sister offered. "I'll stay inside and watch TV. I know the rules."

"What if demons attack the house while we're gone? Almost everyone knows Haymitch lives here." she retorted. "Demons don't need to be asked to come in, Prim."

" _You_ 're the one who said the two of you'd be safer living with me." her Watcher countered. "Bit late to change your mind now."

"I can stay with Prim." Peeta offered. Katniss turned to look at him and he shrugged. "I can't hold off an army of demons but I can probably distract them long enough for her to get out and run. Not that _anything_ is going to happen." He added the last part hastily with a reassuring look for Prim. "We can watch a movie and order a pizza."

"You had burgers for lunch." Effie clucked her tongue. " _Healthy_ food would not be amiss tonight."

"I can cook but I'm pretty sure Haymitch's cupboards are empty." he joked.

"Then, you'd be wrong." her Watcher grumbled. "I started stocking up when Katniss started coming to the house every day."

"Candy bars are _not_ healthy food." Effie argued.

"There is more than candy bars." Haymitch retorted. "Give me _some_ credit. I can feed kids." He shot Effie a nasty look. "You can find something _healthy_ to eat."

Katniss felt the decision slip out of her hands.

"It's not just Prim." she snapped. "What if something happens to Peeta while I'm gone? Or…"

"Look." Haymitch snapped. "Anything can happen to any of us. We knew that last night. We all chose to stay."

He glanced at Effie. It was brief and the other Watcher didn't seem to notice but…

"No, _you_ bullied me into staying." Katniss argued. "Peeta can't hold off a demon. What if _something_ happens?"

Haymitch's face closed off, his eyes darted up to the second floor again and back, his jaw clenching… "Effie can stay with your sister. She's strong enough to hold off a demon or two."

"I am _not_ staying." the witch argued. She was fidgety like Katniss had rarely seen her. "I want to go out on patrol and _burn_ some vampires." She looked shocked at what had come out of her own mouth and stood there, startled for a moment, before licking her lips, hiding behind a dazzling smile and a dismissive wave of her hand. "You stay. I will go with Katniss."

"I'm not staying home and sending the two of you out there when there might be a master vampire's spawns on the loose." he sneered. "I _won't_ bury you."

"You're most likely gonna bury _me_." Katniss nastily shot back.

He flinched. A whole body flinch.

So did Prim for that matter.

" _Alright_." Peeta cut in, still frowning. "Look, I know I don't have superpowers or magic but Haymitch doesn't either. I _can_ keep your sister safe. You should go."

"I can tour the cemeteries and the downtown area." Effie suggested. "You and Katniss can go to the Hellmouth."

Haymitch pursed his lips and tossed Katniss a strange look. "No. The kid's right. I don't have magic powers. You stay with her. I'll take the bike and ride to the Hellmouth."

"On your own?" Effie huffed. "Certainly _not_."

Haymitch stood up, a sneer on his face. "Wasn't asking for your permission."

As if his getting to his feet had been the final say, everyone else started to move. Peeta pushed away from the table to walk closer to Prim, already asking her what she was in the mood for, Effie started towards the door and Haymitch headed straight for the weapons trunk in the corner…

Everything was unraveling around Katniss.

Separating felt like the worst idea ever.

"What if you die?" she blurted out, loud enough to cover everyone else's voices. She wasn't sure who she was talking to, just that the fear was too strong to be ignored. It was _painful_. She couldn't move, she couldn't breathe, she couldn't…

It was Haymitch who answered her, without even looking at her. "Never been that lucky. Get a move on."

Getting a move on when Effie was coming on patrol was never that easy. Haymitch's bike had roared away into the night long before the witch was ready to go out – although she _did_ take only fifteen minutes to change and, for once, her outfit did include pants and squared heels boots. When she slipped behind the wheel, the woman looked both impatient and apprehensive.

Katniss was _only_ apprehensive.

She was clutching her bow in her hands so tight that her knuckles turned white. Everything in her _screamed_ she shouldn't leave her sister or Peeta or Haymitch.

"What did he mean?" she asked right when Effie parked next to the cemetery. They hadn't exchanged a word the whole ride. "What did he mean when he said he's never been that lucky?"

"He buried a lot of people, darling. It takes a toll." Effie shook her head and got out of the car, already walking toward the cemetery as if she simply _couldn't wait_.

There was a distinct shift to their dynamic that night. Usually, when she came with Katniss – and more often than not with _Haymitch_ – on patrol, Effie was happy to take a step back and be there as backup rather than full on fighter. That night, however, Katniss barely had time to shoot an arrow or two. Effie was setting vampires on fire left and right when she wasn't staking them with stalagmite that seemed to appear right in her palm at the decisive moment. At some point, they stumbled upon a group of ugly looking demons with retractable spikes along their forearms – that Effie identified as Polgara demons – and instead of doing the clever thing and let Katniss handle them, she simply unleashed such an amount of magic that Katniss' hair started to frizzle. After that, she seemed to glow for a while, coming back to her usually chatty self even if she was standing on a pile of demon ash.

Katniss, for her part, might have commented on her weird behavior if she hadn't been so busy chewing on her fingernails and worrying about her sister, Peeta and Haymitch.

The dread was impossible to ignore and it was a relief when they finally decided to call it a night and go home.

°O°O°O°O°

Haymitch shouldn't have been riding that bike.

He was restless. _On edge_.

That wasn't good when you were trying to steer a heavy piece of metal down narrow country roads. And that was without mentioning the gulps of liquor he had regularly downed all afternoon.

He should have borrowed Peeta's truck, at the very least. Yeah. That would have been the clever thing to do.

But the clever thing to do had flown out the window that morning when he had woken up drenched in sweat from the nightmares.

He was used to nightmares, that wasn't the problem. The problem was that the ghosts who haunted his mind usually vanished in daylight. They hadn't today. They had stayed with him. And it _hurt_ , it _hurt_ so much it was a dull ache that took roots in his chest and spread to the rest of his body.

He leaned forward a little, unconsciously increasing the speed of the bike, hoping that maybe he could outrace them. Stupid, of course. They were shackled to him, his ghosts. Never to fade. He didn't deserve the peace.

He was almost glad when the bright lights of _The Capitol_ appeared around a bend in the road. Around the Hellmouth, there was almost always the guarantee of a fight. The big windows glittered in the night, when he rushed past straight toward the meadow he could hear the faint murmur of classical music over the roar of the bike. The hotel was full of tourists, no doubt, easy preys for the monsters that roamed in the night.

He ditched the bike not too far from _The Capitol's_ parking lot and headed to the woods, deciding to circle back toward the old burned tree standing guard in the middle of the meadow. He wasn't alone when he wandered on the uneven path, though.

Eight ghosts walked with him.

Sometimes, it felt like he was physically carrying their combined weight.

His mother, first and foremost, her face never quite clear – the memories he had of her were almost all fake, moments he had invented from staring too long at the old pictures in Mag's study.

His brother second, Hayden always bounced rather than walked, true to how he had been in life – sometimes he wore his baby brother's face and sometimes it was the demon's bumpy ridges and fangs.

Mabel third. Always by his side even when she glared and accused him of having gotten her killed. Then came his personal guards, the failures he could never forgive himself for.

Maysilee. Always silent. Always with her throat torn out.

Alina. Quiet and accusative. The smell of almond always tickling his nose when she was around.

Cecelia. Her big terrified eyes, glassy and empty from death, exactly like when he had found her body in that graveyard, cold and hard in the first light of dawn.

Johanna. Johanna and her sneer, the grease stains on her hands from always tinkering with that _damned_ bike, acidic comments on her lips.

And then, of course, Annie. The only one who never looked at him with hatred or resentment. She had been too kind for that in life and she was still too kind for it in death. Annie followed him like she had always done, aloof and never quite _there._

He didn't find the fight he was itching for in the woods, which was a little weird because it usually had at least a vampire or two – or some demon – attracted to the Hellmouth. He circled back to the meadow, disappointed and clutching his stake, determined to ignore the army of ghosts trailing behind him.

The Hellmouth was looming, taunting him.

Maysilee's ghost flickered and, next thing he knew, she was twitching on the ground, on the very same spot she had died. He clenched his jaw, walked onward toward the tree until he could lay a hand on the old burned bark…

There was nothing there.

No one trying out a ritual. No Careers. He couldn't even feel the telling prickle at his nape that would have warned him he was being watched.

There was nothing there.

Nothing but a broken man, one dead boy and seven girls who had fallen too young.

His feet were heavy when he dragged them back to his bike, his grey eyes automatically coming to rest on the hotel's lights in the distance. The bike creaked under his weight when he straddled it. He slipped the helmet on with mechanical moves. His gloved hands found the worn out handles. His gaze found Jo's angry face.

"I'm sorry." he whispered even though it never helped to talk to them.

Talking to them didn't make them go away.

Although, to be fair, they never had followed him outside before, not like this. They felt so real they looked almost solid. He was afraid to reach out and touch them, afraid he would actually _feel_ something.

He drove too fast on the way back to the house. He was reckless. A little too slow to take the turns. A little too eager to break his neck.

He only remembered once he passed the Village's gates that he had wanted to stop at _Ripper's_ but he didn't have enough energy to spare right then. All he wanted was his bedroom and a bottle. To drown the ghosts out of his mind.

They scared him, those ghosts.

That was the truth he didn't want to admit. Guilt and regret, he could handle, he was used to it. Self-loathing and hatred, he had them in spades. But _those_ _ghosts,_ that day… He couldn't shake the feeling they were coming for him. To drag him to hell. To…

They scared him _shitless_.

He must have taken longer on patrol than he had thought because Effie's pink car was already back in her lane and there was no light on over at her house. Peeta's truck was still parked in the street though and it was the boy who greeted him when he pushed the front door open.

"Katniss and Prim went to bed." the boy told him, after he had made sure Haymitch was alright.

"You're staying?" he asked, rubbing his face, slouching a little because Maysilee had found her usual spot on the couch and his mother was standing next to the window, watching the street and hugging herself with a distressed expression on her face he was pretty sure was a real memory and Mabel was sitting at the bottom of the stairs, nervously toying with her dark hair… Johanna was perched on the railing of the first floor and Annie… Annie was drifting like she was prone to do. Hayden never came into the house. He couldn't. Not anymore. Not since he had been turned. The only place he appeared was Haymitch's bedroom when he woke up from a nightmare.

"If it's okay?" Peeta hesitated. "I mean… I know you have a lot on your plate and I don't want to add to that. It's just… I got in trouble for leaving the house in the middle of the night again. It's better if I just… sleep over somewhere else tonight. But I can go to Effie. She said I…"

"You're welcomed to stay, kid. Told you before." he cut him off, a bit too harshly. "The girls are sharing, I think. You can have the other guestroom. Make yourself at home."

He left the boy with that and hauled his tired body up the stairs.

Johanna watched him pass, her brown eyes soulless, a threatening sneer on her lips.

Mabel was standing in front of his room, her mouth moving without sound.

 _He's coming,_ she was saying. _Run. He's coming._

Her last words.

A prophecy of sort.

He crashed on the bed, grabbed the bottle he kept on his nightstand and tried to give himself some liquid courage.

Because Snow _was_ coming. Haymitch could feel it in his bones.

* * *

 _There's something veeeeery wrong with our gang... What do you think is going on? Let me know your thoughts!_


	33. E5: The Struggle Within (4)

4.

* * *

 _Katniss dreamt and her dreams were red._

 _A sea of blood. A pile of corpses. Loved ones with torn throats. A despair too stifling to crush. A terror without name._

 _An acute pain that started in her chest and spread everywhere, so sharp she couldn't breathe._

 _°O°O°O°O°_

 _Haymitch dreamt and his dreams were grey._

 _Ghostly shapes. A rumble of accusations. Snow laughing on a bed of white roses. An endless guilt. A terror without name._

 _An acute pain that started in his chest and spread everywhere, so sharp he couldn't breathe._

 _°O°O°O°O°_

 _Prim dreamt and her dreams were white._

 _Lost in a crowd. Shiny silver snowflakes falling from the sky. A hole where her sister should be. A loneliness too strong to bear. A terror without name._

 _An acute pain that started in her chest and spread everywhere, so sharp she couldn't breathe._

 _°O°O°O°O°_

 _Peeta dreamt and his dreams were gold._

 _The charred crust of a forgotten loaf. The impossible heat of the oven. The smell of burned human flesh. A rage strong enough to make his blood boil. A terror without name._

 _An acute pain that started in his chest and spread everywhere, so sharp he couldn't breathe._

 _°O°O°O°O°_

 _Effie dreamt and her dreams were black._

 _Power so strong it corrupted. A goddess of beauty and wrath. The world kneeling at her feet to crush or to spare. A greed too seducing to resist. A terror without name._

 _An acute pain that started in her chest and spread everywhere, so sharp she couldn't breathe._

°O°O°O°O°

Katniss woke up and, for a second, the air was stuck in her lungs. She couldn't breathe in, she couldn't breathe out. There was only the terror and the staccato of her heart hammering against her ribcage.

A second later, her brain kicked in and she breathed out. Slowly. Shakily.

She sat up and pushed her dark hair away from her face with trembling hands, her eyes scanning the room for a possible threat. It took her a moment to place the still unfamiliar room. She was at Haymitch's, nothing was in the house, they were fine. She automatically looked down to check on Prim who was still sleeping even though her legs were battling against the blankets. Buttercup was perched on her sister's pillow, letting out regular growls.

The cat was staring at something in the corner.

She switched on the lamp, her other hand reaching for the knife she had left on the nightstand… The corner was empty.

"Stupid cat." she muttered. She looked down at Prim again, waiting for her brain to catch up, to realize her sister _was_ fine. She waited for the dread to disappear, for relief to take over… It never did.

She was still worried.

Biting down on her lower lip, she switched the lamp off and lied back down, staring at the ceiling. After five long minutes, she admitted defeat. She wouldn't sleep again, not until she was _certain_ everyone else was alright.

She slipped out of bed and out of the room, leaving the door ajar just in case Prim woke up and called out for her. Once in the corridor, she hesitated. Haymitch's room was further down the left but as worried as she was for him – and she knew it was stupid because he was more than likely _fine,_ Peeta had promised to wait up for him and he would have raised the alarm if her Watcher hadn't come back from patrol or had been injured – she didn't want a repeat of the previous night. She didn't want to know if Haymitch and Effie were _sparring_. She went right instead and crept along the dark hallway to the smaller guest room.

Floorboards cracked under her feet. She would need to learn how to avoid those.

She would just check on Peeta and then go down to get a glass of milk. And maybe she _would_ stop by Haymitch's room on her way back just to be sure he was still breathing.

The handle turned easily under her palm and she poked her head in the bedroom, expecting to find her friend asleep. She spotted his dark shape on the bed, saw him move, but before she could safely retreat, the light was turned on and she blinked at the sudden change in luminosity.

"Katniss?" he asked, his voice a little rough from sleep.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" she retorted.

"Nightmare." he answered – and there was a _pit_ full of unsaid things behind that single word, she could _feel_ them at the way his tone had hardened. "You?"

"Me too." she confessed.

She walked in and closed the door behind her so they wouldn't wake up the whole house with their conversation. She didn't really understand why Peeta was staring when she came to sit on the bed, she was only wearing her pajamas and there was nothing stareworthy about them: just a pair of shorts and a loose faded tee-shirt. She made herself comfortable on the free space on his left, resting her back against the headboard and hugging her legs close to her chest. His jeans had been tossed on the foot of the bed along with his sweater and she didn't let herself wonder what exactly he was wearing under the sheets. Maybe Haymitch had lent him some pajamas. One that didn't include a top.

"Slayer dream?" he asked, scrambling to sit up.

They weren't sitting close enough to touch but she could feel the heat from his bare chest as if she was pressed against him. It was in her head, she decided, like everything else. All in her head.

"I don't think so." She shook her head. "Just regular nightmares."

"Do you…" He hesitated, turned toward her, resting his cheek against the headboard. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Did she? She wasn't sure. Dread was still coiling in her belly, her tee-shirt was still damp from cold sweat between her shoulder blades and the terror, the abject irrepressible terror, was still beating in her chest like a caged bird.

"Everyone I love was dead." she whispered after a minute, propping her chin on her knees. She closed her eyes, shivered at the sudden darkness and opened them again. "Prim. Haymitch. My mom. You. Even Effie…"

She could feel him staring.

Uncomfortable and cold, she nudged the blanket with her feet so they were covered.

Did he think she was being ridiculous? Childish? She knew she was. She was sixteen. Hell, she was _the Slayer_. She shouldn't let nightmares bother her. She shouldn't…

"You… love me?" he asked eventually and his voice was strangled. Hopeful or maybe grateful, she wasn't sure.

She flushed crimson. "That's not… I mean… You're… _close_ to me. We're…"

"Friends." he said quickly. "Yes, of course. I mean… Yes, definitely. But I… I love you too. You should know. I mean…"

Could it get any more awkward?

"What was _your_ nightmare about?" It was the only thing she could think to ask to change the topic.

She regretted it when his face closed off. He dropped his eyes to the expense of white sheets between them, swallowing hard. "Nothing important."

He rubbed his forearm without realizing and her gaze fell on the burned scars she had spied one time or two. She wanted to ask about them, she had almost done a few times, but something always made her hold back. She had strong instincts when it came to life or death but she didn't trust herself when it came to feelings and things like that. The scars seemed to fall into that last category.

He didn't volunteer any more information and she decided it was alright. She pulled the blanket higher on herself because of the chill in the room and didn't think much of it when he lied back down to stare at the ceiling, not unlike what she had done earlier.

"Do you think Prim will be okay?" she whispered. "Without our mom, I mean. I didn't really ask her before… She said she was okay with staying here but…"

She let her sentence trail off.

"I think it will be great." he offered in a sincere tone. "Your mom will get the help she needs and Haymitch will look after the two of you." She scowled and opened her mouth but he was quicker. " _Not_ that _you_ need looking after. But, you know… It might be good for Prim to have an adult around. She's still a kid."

Pacified by that answer, she slowly sank down the bed until her head hit the spare pillow. "If anything happens to her… To _any_ of you…"

"Hey…" he said softly. His hand found hers over the blanket. "You can't carry the whole world on your shoulders, Katniss."

She was used to sharing a bed with Prim so, it stood to reason, she should be used to having another body lying next to her but with Peeta… With Peeta it felt different. More dangerous perhaps somehow.

"I think that's the Slayer's job description." she sighed.

"Okay. Then…" He entwined their fingers, she let him. "Maybe I can help you carry it." There was a beat of silence and he coughed. "You know… In a friendly totally platonic way."

She couldn't help it. She snorted and then she chuckled and, before she understood how, she was laughing so hard her belly hurt. The pain that had sat on her chest since she had woken up earlier – that had never left since the previous night really – finally eased.

Peeta chuckled too. "That's not really a flattering reaction but alright."

She squeezed his hand. "Thank you. For everything."

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else." he promised.

And she believed him.

She knew she needed to go back to her room – for Prim if nothing else and simply because… she was aware staying sent the _wrong_ idea – but she was warm and comfortable and the fear had finally left her, she finally could breathe. She wanted to enjoy it a little while longer.

She didn't even realize she was falling asleep.

The only thing she was really conscious of was Peeta's hand in hers.

°O°O°O°O°

Haymitch woke up and, for a second, the air was stuck in his lungs. The pain was excruciating, the terror all encompassing. His ghosts were in various spots around his room, waiting.

The breath came out of his mouth in a long painful sigh and he forced himself to take another inhalation, to make his lungs _work_. It did little to relieve the cramps in his muscles. He was covered in cold sweat, the sheets were soaked with it, and the stench was enough to make his stomach churn.

He blindly reached for the bottle he had left on the nightstand, winced when he remembered he had finished it before going to sleep and dropped it back on the floor. It rolled under the dresser. The noise sounded deafening in the silence of the night.

He tossed his arm over his eyes to block the sight of his ghosts. Sometimes if he ignored them… But he couldn't shake the dread and fear, it was like a physical weight on his chest – a _painful_ heavy weight – and he took his arm away, staring at the ceiling instead.

The thoughts that battled inside his skull weren't pretty. A mix of bad memories and flashes of the inevitable torture to come that his imagination was helpfully providing…

A door was opened somewhere in the house, it was followed by the light creaking of some floor boards. Another door opened and closed softly… One of the kids going to the bathroom, probably.

It felt weird to have people living in the house aside from himself.

It felt weird to know he was now responsible for not only one but two girls.

He still wasn't sure it had been the best choice. He _was_ very sure he would eventually screw it up one way or another.

He closed his eyes, resolutely ignored the heavy accusative looks of his dead Slayers... _Go away_ , he pleaded at his deranged mind. It wasn't fair. He was awake. They usually faded when he was awake. He couldn't take their constant presence. He couldn't take the bad omen.

If anything happened to Katniss or one of the kids… Or even _Effie_ …

Oh, Snow would kill _her_ for sure. He would take one good sniff at him, figure out he had been sleeping with her and then… Then he would take her apart to see what made _him_ tick.

The faint noise of another door opening and closing came from further down the house but this one made Haymitch alert, his heart beating hard in his chest. He sat up, pricking his ears in the nocturnal silence, trying hard to separate the sound of his own heart from the distant buzz of the fridge and… _There_. The creaking of the stairs.

It _had_ been the front door.

Except he had locked it behind him when he had come home.

He _always_ did. He had locked it when Peeta had greeted him. He was one hundred percent certain.

No vampire could come in uninvited so it wasn't a vampire. Plenty of demons could break in though.

His hand slipped under his pillow until his fingers closed on the hilt of his old hunting knife. The footsteps came closer and Haymitch sat up, kicking the blankets off his legs so he wouldn't get tangled in them and die a ridiculous death. He almost dashed for the dresser to grab a pair of pants because he didn't _really_ want to tackle a demon naked either: there were parts of himself he cared about more than others... However it would be a waste of time and it would cost him the surprise effect. All around the room his ghosts bristled in anticipation of the fight…

His bedroom was locked too. He had turned the key without really thinking about it, desperate to have some _space_ to himself in a house full of kids – and because he preferred sleeping in the nude and didn't want to accidentally traumatize Prim or Katniss.

He watched in the semi-darkness as the key slowly turned in the lock. _Magic_ , he had time to think before the door opened. He _almost_ tossed the knife. It was only a last split of the moment decision that made him hold back – that or maybe his instinct had registered her presence before his brain did.

"Effie?" he called, not quite lowering the knife just yet.

She stepped inside, in all the glory of a short and very lacy navy blue nightgown, and closed the door behind her. His first concern was that she had crossed the street like that – well, _no_ , his first concern was that she looked just good enough to _eat,_ which might or might not relate to the crossing the street problem if vampires were lurking outside – because it wasn't exactly _warm_. His third concern hit him a second later and made him frown.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. "Cause if this is a booty call…"

He wasn't sure he could do booty calls with three kids in the house – which didn't really bode well for his future sex life.

"I need help." she half-gasped.

He switched on the small lamp on the nightstand. It filled the room with a soft golden glow and he resolutely ignored the ghosts who had not vanished in the light.

Effie was shaking.

From head to toes she was shaking.

"What's wrong?" He grabbed the blankets, gestured at her to come closer. When she sat on the edge of the mattress, he wrapped her in his unfortunately sweat soaked sheets and tried to feel her forehead with his free hand. "You feel sick?"

His stomach churned. What if she wasn't _sick_? What if she was _cursed_? What if Snow had found a way to start on his revenge from the other side of that hell portal? What if it was the Careers who…

"I can't stop using it." She sobbed, turning her body so she was tucked against his chest. "I can't… It hurts too much."

He automatically gathered her in his arms. "Using what?"

"Magic." she explained, her voice breaking. He could feel her tears hot against his neck. "I _can't…_ What if I lose control? What if it takes control of _me_? The Hellmouth… I feel It… I feel It calling… It is trying to take over me… I…"

" _Wow_." he cut her off, tightening his embrace. "Slow down, sweetheart. Go back to the beginning."

Even as he said that, he felt the familiar tingle of her magic washing over him. Not quite unpleasant but more aggressive than usual. It took him a second to realize what she had done – and without a verbal spell either. The sheets were now clean and he didn't reek of sweat anymore. He supposed it had upset her delicate sensibilities.

"When we were battling the nexus of ghosts at _the_ _Capitol_ … Do you remember?" she asked.

Did he remember getting his ass thoroughly kicked by a super ghost? "Hard to forget."

"I tapped into Earth magic because I needed more power and the Hellmouth… I felt it, then. And I think it felt me too. And now it wants me. _It wants me_." She almost shrieked the last words.

He shushed her, not quite keen to explain to the Slayer who would probably come running if voices were raised what the Art teacher was doing in his bed. Not to mention the naked situation he really needed to correct. "You're not a black arts kind of witch, Effie. It ain't gonna get you."

She curled up tighter, pressed her forehead against his shoulder… "What if it is in my blood?"

He wasn't sure if it was the late hour, the lack of proper restful sleep or just the judging gazes of his ghosts staring at him but nothing she was saying made sense. "What?"

"My mother… I told you she is a powerful witch." she whispered. "She is not… She is not what one would call a _good_ witch. She is… She thinks magic makes us better than simple humans. _I_ am an ambitious person. I… What if I lose sight of what is right? What if I start using magic to… to _hurt people_ or…"

"Not happening." he said firmly. "I'd have to kill you."

She huffed, a hint of arrogance in her tone. "You could not kill me if you tried."

"Debatable." he retorted. "Point is, Princess. I don't wanna kill you and you don't wanna hurt me so we're not going _there_. Whatever your mom's doing with her powers, you're not like her. You only use magic to help and I've never seen you using anything dark."

"I spent the whole night lighting demons and vampires on fire." she confessed. "And I _enjoyed_ it. It made me feel… It is _better_ than _sex_. I do not think I let Katniss touch _one_ of those vampires tonight. I just… I felt so powerful… I _enjoyed_ it. And now it's eating me alive… I can't stop…"

As if to illustrate her point, small dots of lights, like tiny fairies, started dancing around the room.

Haymitch rolled down on his back and brought her down with him, hoping to distract her. "Better than sex? Now I'm hurt."

She had instinctively straddled him which made a part of him very happy. He rethought the wisdom of that move when he realized the ghosts still hadn't faded away. It was a good thing she was lying down on his chest instead of sitting up. It could give the impression this was more innocent than it really was.

To ghosts.

Who weren't really there in the first place.

He was going crazy.

He rubbed his face.

"Do not joke." she begged. He could still hear the tears in her voice. "I am _terrified_. I am not _that_ powerful. I am happy not being powerful. I do not want to become my mother."

"You' _re_ powerful." he argued. "You're just in denial over it." He sighed and coiled a hand around her nape, already thinking of possible options. They could try to find a spell to curb her powers for a while. Until they found something more permanent. He had friends he could call, magic experts who might be able to help… Short of that, they could contact the closest magical coven… "When did this start?"

He couldn't believe she had been battling with this since _the_ _Capitol_. It had been months ago and she had only started acting weird that morning.

"Last night." she offered. "I had… I keep having those nightmares. They are…"

"Painful?" he asked, suddenly alarmed. "Like you can't breathe?"

She frowned and pushed herself up so she could look at him. "Yes. How do you know?"

Her cheeks were bathed with tears and he instinctively wiped them away. _So much for casual_ , a little voice whispered at the back of his head. "How crazy will you think I am if I tell you I've been seeing ghosts since last night? It's been going on all day. Still going on right now. They scare me _shitless_. I've been trying not to embarrass myself with a panic attack all day."

He hadn't meant to share _that_ much but instead of looking at him as if he was good to be committed, she actually looked _relieved_. "Me too!" She winced. "Well, I do not see ghosts but the magic… The thirst for it, it scares me to death and I have been panicking about it and…"

"And Katniss and Prim have been acting weird too, right?" he continued, a bit less certain. What did he know of the behavior of teenage girls? Sure, he mentored a few but… He had never been forced to live with them before. "It's _not_ just _us_."

"Something is happening to us. _All_ of us." she confirmed. "It would explain…"

The scream and the crash coming from somewhere inside the house cut her off.

They both bolted out of bed and ran out the door, Haymitch _barely_ remembering to slip on a pair of sweatpants before he followed. He was still hauling them up to his hips when Prim came rushing out of her room, wide eyes and pale face.

"Katniss is missing!" she shouted.

"Were you the one who screamed?" Effie asked, already moving down the corridor because the answer was obvious. They could hear raised voices from the other guest room.

Effie's hands were glowing gold and Haymitch instinctively grabbed Prim's arm, tugging her behind him when he followed after the witch. Just in case. He wasn't sure she was in control of her magic right now – if what she was saying could be trusted, she wasn't any more in control of her powers than he was of the ghosts who were closing in on all sides.

"Oh my goodness!" Effie exclaimed, once she had pushed the other guest room door open.

Haymitch barreled past her and into the room, mentally reviewing the content of the weapons cache he kept in that particular room – that was the thing with keeping weapons in every room, it was useful in case of an attack but he lost tracks sometimes.

He wasn't sure what he had been expecting but it _really_ wasn't to find Katniss kneeling at the foot of the bed, still half tangled in the blankets, and Peeta curled up in a corner wearing nothing but a pair of boxers.

It had _definitely_ not been _that_.

He would have preferred a demon.

A double take was enough to make sure _Katniss_ had clothes on – and he supposed a loose tee-shirt and shorts were better than _nothing_ but still he knew what his teenage self would have thought if Mabel had been in his room in that particular outfit – in fact, he knew _for a fact_ what he would have thought because Mabel _had_ been in that room a lot given that it had been _his_ before he had taken over the master…

"Are you hurt?" Effie asked, rushing to the boy's side.

Haymitch's eyes darted back to Peeta who was still shaking and seemed to be struggling to get his breath back.

"I… I don't want to hurt you." Peeta stuttered, his blue gaze riveted on Katniss. "I don't want to hurt you. I don't…"

"But you didn't!" Katniss argued. "You just had a nightmare. It's alright."

Effie kneeled next to him, placed a glowing hand on his brow, smoothed it down his face. Peeta exhaled and then blinked several times.

"Wow…" the boy said with a sudden loopy smile.

"What did you do?" Katniss demanded to know.

"I am not… _quite_ sure." Effie admitted, tossing Haymitch a distressed glance. "A calming charm. I believe."

"You _believe_?" the Slayer exclaimed with a worried frown.

Prim tentatively leaned against his side and Haymitch placed a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder without thinking about it.

"He's fine." he grumbled. At least he _hoped_ the kid was. He looked high to him. "The _fuck_ happened here?"

"Nightmare." Katniss repeated.

"I had a nightmare too." Prim confessed, hugging herself.

The girl's concern immediately switched targets. "You're okay?"

Prim nodded.

"We're all having nightmares." Haymitch dismissed. "Ain't what I was asking. What were you doing in his room?"

Katniss blinked and then scowled.

She really could scowl like the best of them.

"I'm not asking you how Effie heard me screaming from the other side of the street, yeah?" she retorted as if it really was the point.

"Effie's an adult and I ain't in charge of her so she can sleep wherever she wants." he snapped.

The witch cleared her throat and shook her hands, keeping her eyes on her fingers, as if hoping the golden glow would go away. "Actually, I just came over for some advice. I _was_ in my house."

"You came over for some advice in the middle of the night wearing _that_?" Katniss scoffed, gesturing at the blue nightgown Haymitch really hoped he would see again – in another context.

Effie blinked, looked down at herself, and then winced. " _Oh dear..._ It seems I _did…_ " She looked up at Haymitch, fright flashing on her face. "I am going crazy…"

"Nobody is going crazy." he said firmly, _purposefully not_ glancing at any of the ghosts that had somehow appeared in the room. Johanna was snickering silently in the corner. "We're cursed. Or under influence. Or _something_." He waved his hand and pointed a finger at Katniss. "Doesn't mean you're off the hook. I don't like you sleeping with boys in my guest room."

Which was probably the most hypocritical he had ever been in his life.

A Slayer's life was short. He and Mabel had used that excuse to get into all possible sorts of shenanigans more than once. He had never meddled into any of his Slayers' love life before.

But he had never actually been forced to _parent_ any of them either.

He told himself he wouldn't have cared as much if he hadn't been sleeping – or having nightmares – two doors down the corridor. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. What he could _potentially_ hear now…

"I just _fell asleep_." Katniss spat. "Nothing happened. We're…"

"Friends." Peeta mumbled and then laughed as if it was the best joke.

Haymitch studied his Slayer, then the boy and then he sighed, turning his gaze to Effie. "I want some of what you gave him. Seems like a fun place to be."

Not unexpectedly, Effie glared. "We should hit the books. Figure out what is going on with us. What are the symptoms? Nightmares. Hallucinations."

"Anxiety." Katniss added.

Effie nodded. "Dread. Panic."

"Maybe we're having a burnout." he snorted but he didn't believe it himself. Whatever was wrong with them, it was clearly magical in nature. "Let's go down to the library." He squeezed Prim's shoulder. "You can go back to bed, sweetheart."

"I'm coming down with you." the girl protested at once with a shiver. "I don't want to be alone."

He didn't try to argue. He wasn't sure what the kid's greatest terror was but he wouldn't have wished facing their worst fear alone to anyone.

* * *

 _Soooo something is up after all (and we are not talking about Peeta and Haymitch XD)! Did you like the chapter? Is everlark on the right track? Is Hayffie? Who knows. What are your thoeries?_


	34. E5: The Struggle Within (5)

5.

* * *

Katniss had this ridiculous notion that, in normal houses where mothers didn't sleep all the time because they couldn't make themselves care more about their children than their own grief, people ate waffles on Sunday mornings. She wasn't sure where she had gotten that idea. Too much TV maybe.

She had this ridiculous picture in her head, of the five of them eating waffles in Haymitch's kitchen, for some reason. They would laugh and be happy like other people – _normal_ people – did.

There were no waffles that morning.

Only the bleak dim light of dawn slowly slipping through the library's windows, making them all blink and shake themselves a little. They had spent half the night poring over books and they were no closer to determining what was wrong with them – _if_ something was wrong with them.

At least, she figured, stifling a yawn against her closed fist, Effie was dressed now. Although it must have said something about the Art teacher that the dress she was currently wearing wasn't any longer than the nightgown she had had on the previous night. Saved for Peeta, who had put his clothes back on when he had come down from whatever magic trip Effie had bewitched him with, the rest of them were still in their pajamas.

She could have done _without_ the sight of Haymitch's bare chest but since the man had already accepted to host her and Prim for an indefinite amount of time, she thought it would be unfair to dictate what he was supposed to wear in his own house.

"Katniss, focus." her Watcher said without even looking up. "Effie, stop fidgeting."

Katniss and Effie shared a commiserating look before glaring at the man.

"Please, do _not_ talk to me like this." Effie huffed.

Haymitch kept staring at his book, lazily switching the page. "Sorry. Don't let me stop you from burning a hole in my table."

The witch gasped and took her hand off the wood. Katniss hadn't noticed – well, it was hard _not_ to notice the glowing hands – but her fingers had left indentations in the wood.

"Oh, I am so sorry!" the woman exclaimed. "And it being mahogany and all!"

She sounded so genuinely dejected that Katniss fought a smirk, meeting Peeta's eyes over the rim of her book. Peeta looked both amused and very very tired. She supposed they all looked tired though, in all fairness.

"I'm going to make more coffee." Prim yawned, tossing away the book she had been perusing – a book that Haymitch had _sworn_ didn't contain anything too traumatizing; her sister had wanted to help and, given that she was concerned too, Katniss hadn't been able to say no this time.

Even if the thought of her being in any kind of danger…

Terror came back, quick and overwhelming. The pain flared in her chest and she had to blow slowly with her mouth to work through it.

Effie and Peeta watched her with sympathy. They had both done their share of pained breathing in the last few hours. Haymitch was better at hiding his own panic.

"That's why she's my favorite if anyone's wondering." Haymitch commented in a casual voice that didn't fool any of them.

"She is too young to be drinking coffee." Effie pointed out.

"She doesn't like coffee. She'll make herself cocoa." Katniss muttered and then tossed the book she had been reading on the table. "This isn't helping."

Haymitch closed his book, rubbed his eyes and glanced at the pale light trickling through the windows. "We should hit _Ripper's_. It should be close to empty by now. Good time to catch her alone."

"You think this might be related to Katniss' Slayer dream?" Effie asked. "To the Careers?"

He snorted. "You don't?"

His grey eyes flickered to the wooden pathway on the upper floor, tracking something none of them could see. He hadn't been very talkative about his own problems, he had told them a very vague story about being stalked by ghosts – _fake_ ghosts since none of them could see them and there were no other signs of haunting apparently.

"Even if it's not them… Maybe Ripper will know something?" Peeta interjected. "I wouldn't mind a walk… Katniss and I can go…"

He didn't make it sound like a statement, more like a question. He sought her gaze too.

She knew it was the most logical course of actions. She was the Slayer, it was her job to get the information and getting out of the house _would_ be good but…

"We shouldn't separate." she blurted out. "It's a bad idea. What if something happens to one of us? What if…"

Terror and pain. She took a shaky breath, wincing, and clutched her shirt right over her heart.

"Easy, sweetheart." Haymitch's voice was soothing, reassuring, and Katniss made an effort to remind herself the panic was constructed by whatever had a hold over them. "I'm gonna go. Effie's coming with me. You stay here and keep an eye on that sister of yours, sounds right? If you feel itchy, go down and train for a while. You could show Peeta one move or two. With Prim there to _supervise._ "

"I think you mean _chaperone_." Effie corrected in a distracted hum, trying to shake the magic off her fingers again. "Are you certain I should go out in public? I am not sure…"

"You _can_ control yourself." he countered in a voice that brooked no argument. "I need you with me to distract me from…" He didn't finish the sentence. He just shrugged. "I need you with me."

"We shouldn't separate." Katniss insisted. "What if we get lost?"

Peeta hesitantly reached out and covered her hand. "We can't get lost, Katniss. We'll be here and they are just going to the bar and back." His face darkened and he suddenly snatched his hand back, searching Haymitch's gaze. "But maybe I should come with you. I don't want to stay alone with them. What if…"

"You won't hurt anyone. Not Katniss. Not Prim. You're not that kind of person." Haymitch cut him off firmly before turning to Katniss. " _Nothing_ 's gonna happen to any of us if you're not there to protect us. I can handle myself. So can Effie." Then he looked at Effie. "The Hellmouth ain't gonna poison your mind. You ain't gonna lose control of the magic. And you _ain't_ turning into a power-hungry monster. And you…" He studied Prim who had just come back with a trail loaded with mugs of coffee. "Nobody's kidnapping you again and we're not gonna send you away. I need you to keep that psychopath cat of yours from murdering me." Prim giggled and he winked at her. "Plus, you make the best coffee so I've _got_ to keep you."

Katniss wasn't sure how a few words could help so much but they _did_. Maybe because he actually meant them and there was so much _belief_ in all of them that…

"You are not going crazy and they are not here to drag you to hell." Effie offered softly, reaching out to squeeze his arm. Her hands had stopped glowing golden.

Haymitch flashed her a smirk that didn't reach his eyes. "We're taking the bike."

The witch immediately huffed. "Absolutely _not_. My car…"

"I ain't driving that _shit_ on wheels again and you ain't in any state to drive." Haymitch cut her off. "Besides, the bike's quicker. I've got a spare helmet."

"But it won't be glittery pink." Prim whispered for Katniss and Peeta's sake only, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Peeta smiled for the first time that day and fished his phone from his pocket. "I'm ordering it. It's too good to pass."

Katniss found herself chuckling with the two of them, leaving Effie and Haymitch to their bickering. The deal was done anyway. Haymitch told her she had ten minutes to go put on some pants while he went up to get dressed.

"How about some breakfast?" she suggested, eyeing her sister. "You need to eat something."

"So should you." Prim pointed out.

"We all should." Peeta approved. "How about pancakes? I'm pretty sure I saw a ready-mix in a cupboard. It would be better from scratch but I don't think Haymitch's got the right stuff."

The suggestion was met with overall approval and they relocated to the kitchen. Prim and Katniss watched him make the pancake dough, a little impressed even though the ready-mix stuff _did_ seem simple enough that even Effie might have managed it.

They paused to see the two Watchers leave though. If only because Effie looked completely out of place on that bike. Katniss bet Peeta she would freak out and she was a little disappointed when she _didn't_. Still, the witch clung to Haymitch hard and kept her eyes closed when he started the bike and they could hear her surprised shriek over the roar of the bike when he sped down the street.

All throughout breakfast a part of her worried itself sick over Effie and Haymitch – about what could _happen_ to them – and she could tell both Peeta and Prim were fighting their own inner fears but, all in all, they had a nice enough time. She was almost surprised by that.

Peeta went back to the living-room while the girls excused themselves upstairs to get dressed. Prim was doing her hair in their bedroom, in front of the slightly tarnished mirror on the wall when Katniss came back from the bathroom, her own hair already bound in a hasty braid. She hesitated for a moment and then sat at the foot of the bed.

"What are your nightmares about, little duck?" she asked.

So far, their nightmares had seemed to target either their greatest fears or their deepest insecurities – when the two weren't related… Haymitch's guilt, Peeta's mysterious fear of… _something_ , Effie's anxiety over her control of magic, her own terror of losing people… But her sister's sudden fear of abandonment… Did it come from the kidnapping? It had happened months earlier and Prim had sworn she was okay. She had _seemed_ okay. But had Katniss been too hasty to put the incident away? Was it still tormenting her?

Prim didn't answer immediately. She was doing her hair in an elaborate braided hairdo and she had pins wedged between her lips. "You were going to send me away. Yesterday. The night before yesterday. You wanted to send me away and then you had Mom shipped to that clinic…"

"It's the best thing for Mom." Katniss argued, a little defensively. "You agreed. And it's _different_ , Prim. Mom's…"

"Mom's sick." Prim finished. "I know. But it was a little convenient for you anyway." Her sister shrugged, avoiding her eyes. "I know it's not fair that you've got to take care of me like that… That it's not right… And Haymitch… Haymitch has to take care of you now. He's _got_ to because he's your Watcher but I'm not…"

"You heard him earlier." she interrupted again. "You're his favorite." She had hoped it would lighten the mood and her sister did smile a little but it didn't reach her eyes. "And _nothing_ has to change anyway. It's not because we're staying here… He's _not_ our dad, Prim, and he's not going to be. He doesn't get a say. I don't mind taking care of you. Hell, I _love_ taking care of you. I'll always be here to take care of you. We didn't move here to get parented. We just moved here because it's safer."

Prim finally met her eyes in the mirror and the look on her face was far too serious for a twelve year-old. She didn't say anything but her thoughts were written there clearly for Katniss to see anyway.

In all honesty, and while she would probably have denied it out loud with fervor, having an adult around who actually _would_ care and might be _willing_ to make some of the daily important decisions didn't sound _that_ terrible. It scared her in different ways than the idea of losing her loved ones did but, altogether, it also made her feel some relief.

"You should go check on Peeta." Prim suggest. "I'm almost done."

Leaving her sister in their room was enough to make her anxiety spark up again. Peeta had been downstairs alone for so long… What if something had happened? What if something had happened to Effie and Haymitch who were so far away and whom _she_ _couldn't_ _help_?

The pain in her chest was so sharp she could barely breathe.

The library was deserted and she had to fight the panic, she had to make herself walk through every room on the ground floor before finally noticing the open door that led to the basement. She found him there, hitting a saggy punching-bag again and again. He had barely taken the time to bind his hands so he wouldn't hurt himself, one of the thick bands was already unraveling.

He didn't seem to hear her coming and since she was naturally discreet, he didn't spot her until she tapped his shoulder. It was only thanks to her Slayer's reflexes that she avoided the fist he flung toward her head. His eyes widened and he immediately stepped back, his hands held in front of him. "I'm so sorry. I'm…"

"It's okay." she was quick to counter. "I should have called out. You didn't hit me."

Peeta's breath itched painfully, the fear and panic obvious on his face. "I'm so sorry. I thought… I thought hitting something would make me feel better. I just feel so…" A flash of sorrow passed over his face, quickly replaced by disgust. "I feel so _angry_."

She frowned, almost asked him what he was so afraid of because accidentally hurting other people seemed like a weird terror to have for a boy who, granted had muscles and strength, but who was by all definition _normal_ and rather _nice –_ not to say _gentle_ – on top of it.

"Peeta…" she whispered.

"I'm scared I'm going to _Hulk_ out." he confessed in a rush of words, pressing his hands against his face. "I'm scared I'm going to hurt someone just because I'm so angry I can't control myself. I'm afraid I'm going to become…" He shook his head. "I shouldn't have come down there."

"You can't hurt me much." she pointed out. "I'm stronger. Besides, super fast healing. We can spar if you want."

He shook his head harder, shooting her a pleading gaze. "I don't want to risk it."

"Okay." She shrugged. "But I can't look at books anymore. I need a break."

"We could watch a movie." he suggested half-heartedly.

The thought of sitting down for at least an hour and a half made her twitchy. "How about I teach you how to shoot?"

Prim's voice drifted from the top of the stairs. "Can I learn too?"

Her sister flashed her the grin Katniss could never say no to. She rolled her eyes, a smile stretching her lips. "Okay."

It took a few minutes to organize. She had to find and select weapons that would suit both Prim's smaller frame and Peeta's bulkier one. She finally settled on a supple – but dusty – bow that she found wedged behind a weapon trunk for Prim and a heavier crossbow for Peeta. Then she placed bottles and various objects at different distances in the backyard invaded both by moles and weeds – she regretted a little the fact that Effie's cleaning spell hadn't extended to the outside of the house and she made a note to ask the woman later if she could do something about that since she was anxious to use her magic anyway. It would be nice to see where you were going when one wandered out the back.

Teaching Prim and Peeta how to shoot was both funny and aggravating. They did their best to follow her instructions and emulate her stance but they were both hopeless at it. Still, for a moment, not unlike when they had shared breakfast, the distraction seemed to work well enough. When Prim's arrow grazed her first bottle, she jumped on the spot, stretching her arms up in victory, prompting Katniss and Peeta to start laughing at her enthusiasm. She soon joined in anyway.

They were laughing so hard, Katniss had tears in her eyes and her stomach was hurting in the best way. It was a touch hysterical but it was a nice relief to the tension that had been building since the previous day.

She blamed their fragile state of mind for not hearing the newcomer's arrival – that and Haymitch's wild backyard that muffled sounds.

By the time she noticed Gale, it was too late. He was standing there, scowling at the three of them, _glaring_ at Peeta…

"What are you doing here?" she asked. She hated how defensive, how tense she sounded. She had been avoiding her best friend – former best friend? – as much as possible since the talent show and she had no patience to dive into that can of worms right then.

"I thought you might be in trouble but clearly you're having the time of your life." Gale spat, his glare switching targets. The venom in his voice took her aback a little.

"Don't talk to her like that." Peeta growled, suddenly standing right next to her.

Gale didn't have the presence of mind to calm things down – that or he was hitching for a fight. "What's your problem, Mellark?"

Katniss _barely_ had time to snatch the crossbow from Peeta's hand before he launched himself at Gale.

The first punch was thrown before she could get in the middle.

* * *

 _Dum dum dum! It's showdown time! Should we have waffles do you think? Let me know your thoughts!_


	35. E5: The Struggle Within (6)

5.

* * *

Effie hated the bike.

There was something very hot about a man with a bike and there was _definitely_ something very hot in watching Haymitch on that bike but she, personally, hated it. She was certain her hair would be a mess when she would take the helmet off and he was driving so fast and took so many sharp turns that her stomach was in her throat. She was certain they were going to die.

She was so busy worrying about their near certain death that she forgot to worry about her magic.

Although, she mused when the bike finally rumbled to a stop in a nondescript narrow alley, perhaps that had been the point all along.

It took her a second to unlock her arms from around Haymitch's waist. He was already taking off his helmet and running a hand in his hair in a practiced and unconscious gesture. When he eased off the bike, it swayed under her.

"You're good?" he asked.

Her arms and legs were cramping, she was pretty sure she was shaking and that was _without_ considering how atrocious her hair must have been. She let out a shaky breath and accepted the hand he offered to help her get off.

The single minute it took her to ascertain she was in one piece, that her hair wasn't _that_ bad and that her legs would keep on supporting her was enough for Haymitch to space out. His gaze was directed at a specific point behind the bike. Effie glanced there with curiosity but there was nothing to see.

At least for her.

"Haymitch, they are not real." she reminded him softly.

That was why he had wanted her with him, wasn't it? To distract him? To keep him grounded?

He didn't answer her, his eyes were riveted to that spot of empty air, his breathing sounded painful… She remembered that pain very well. She had been experiencing it more and more since the previous night. Every time she let herself go into panic mode…

She placed a hand on his shoulder and used it as leverage to raise on tiptoes. The contact was enough to jolt him out of his hallucination but she didn't stop there, she pressed a kiss on his lips, probing at his bottom lip with her tongue until he opened his mouth for her, until he wrapped his arms around her… Once he responded to her kiss, she drew back a little.

"Better?" she asked.

He blinked, licked his lips and snorted. "Yeah."

"Good." She grinned. She felt foolish about it but she couldn't really help herself. "Then, let's get to work."

She nodded at the nondescript door of the bar and he gave a grim nod back. "Follow my lead."

That was not something she liked to hear but she would make do, she decided, if only because it was her first visit to the demon bar and he knew the place and its rules better than she did.

It might have been her first time at _Ripper's_ but it wasn't her first demon bar by far.

She spared a second to wonder why all of them had to look so _terribly_ shabby with their flickering pale lights and the strong smell of something unpleasant in the air… Why didn't demons like a good coffee shop or even a pretty tea parlor? Something clean, respectable and where she wouldn't have been scared to _touch_ anything for fear of staining her clothes.

Haymitch headed straight to the bar, completely ignoring the few patrons who seemed to recede in the shadows as soon as they spotted him. A couple of people she suspected to be vampires immediately stood up and disappeared through a door at the back. She supposed it led to the town sewers. That was how most vampires moved around during the day.

"Ripper." Haymitch greeted without much warmth. There was no warmth either on the face of the woman who was tending the counter. She looked irritated. Again, if he noticed, he didn't show it. "Heard anything I should know?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." the half-demon grumbled, wiping off a glass with a kitchen cloth in what must have been the greatest cliché of every bartender ever – if not a health regulation infraction.

"Look." Haymitch said, slamming both hands on the counter. His lips were set in a tight line, his grey eyes were cold and dark, and, for the first time, Effie thought he looked frightening. "I've got two scared kids, one very _very_ volatile Slayer, a cranky witch and I've been seeing dead people for two days. You tell me if you want to push me with those odds, Ripper."

The old woman studied him for a long time and then her gaze finally travelled to Effie, taking her in, gauging her maybe, before darting back to the few customers left. The half-demon looked as if she had swallowed something sour. "We're closing."

Some of them didn't need to be told twice and rushed out the door but, of course, because demons _always_ have to be difficult the two Vahrall demons sitting at a booth in a corner decided to make things difficult. Effie hated Vahrall demons. Not only were they ugly with their scaly grey face and their medieval gear but they were tall and freakishly strong and that was without forgetting the razor-sharp fingernails. Fortunately, they were also stupid.

"We do not bow to the vow of humans." one of them hissed, disgust and hatred in his voice.

Effie's whole body shuddered. Something in her, something deep and dark and _pulsing_ revolted against the outrage. She could hear it in her head again. The tempting chant of the Hellmouth, promising power beyond her dreams. The words left her mouth without her consent and echoed in the now empty bar with a power she hadn't meant to display. "You will bow to _mine_."

She immediately clamped her mouth shut, resolutely ignored the tempting voice in her head, the sweet throb of dark magic that was _just_ at her fingertips…

"Sweetheart." Haymitch called, his voice measured. He didn't reach out for her but he pulled out the cutlass from his belt. "Remember who you are, yeah? This is all a trick. You're a good witch. You're stronger than this."

She couldn't suppress the surge of her own powers. Her hands glowed golden and it was all she could do _not_ to lash out. She basked in the soft halo and the Vahrall demons seemed to hesitate. For a good second.

Then, obviously, they charged despite Ripper's frantic cries to take it outside.

Haymitch immediately rushed ahead, planting his body between Effie and the two demons, giving her the range she needed to work her magic. She chose to target the demon on the right because he was about to bash Haymitch's head in with a club.

It was easy.

 _So_ easy.

She outstretched her hand and the demon flew off despite his weight. He slammed against the far wall and frost immediately covered him from head to toes, turning him into an ice statue. She turned back to the fight but Haymitch had that well in hand. He was avoiding the direct hits of the demon, letting him charge only to slash at his back once he had crashed in a table or a chair… They were leaving a lot of destruction in their wake.

"Should I finish this or will it hurt your manhood?" she joked, trying to sound normal. Teasing. Funny. Not like she was barely holding on by a finger to a very scary cliff. Not like she was about to plummet in a sea of darkness.

"Give me a second." he retorted, a bit out of breath "We can't all be a magical goddess."

He tripped the demon who landed flat on his face, encumbered by his bulk and the weight of his armor, and he slammed the cutlass down, pinning the now dead Varhall to the floor in a puddle of dark sticky blood. He had some on his clothes and there were quite a few gashes on his face and arms.

"Goddess?" she repeated when he pulled out the cutlass and wiped it clean on the demon's clothes. Something in her, something that _terrified_ her, liked that moniker a little too much. She took a deep breath, not quite surprised when it _hurt_.

"Don't let that go to your head." he snorted, jerking his chin in the direction of her ice sculpture. "That one's dead?"

She winced. "I am not sure. I don't think I should be killing anything right now."

She didn't explain why but she apparently didn't need to tell him she was teetering on the edge because he nodded his understanding. "Unthaw his head, yeah? They're not the kind I'm comfortable letting hang out in town."

She did as he wished, not surprised at all when he beheaded the demon. It was messy and all the while Ripper protested about her bar, the damages, the cost of the repairs and Haymitch's apparently recurrent tendency to trash her business. They both pretended they didn't hear her.

When he finally turned back to the half-demon cowering behind the bar, he was even more frightening than before, half covered in dark blood, and Effie briefly wondered if the whole killing thing had been purely for _effect_.

"So." Haymitch snapped. "You want me to take off the other arm or you're gonna tell me what you know?"

Ripper glared at him. "I don't know anything."

Haymitch's jaw clenched. "Maybe I should just let my witch here burn the bar down. Told you she's cranky. Bad time of the month."

"Careful." Effie hissed. "I might burn _you_ down."

He shot her an amused look and a smug smirk. "You'd miss me."

"I am not certain." she huffed.

"Can you go flirt somewhere else?" Ripper snapped, placing her only fist on her hip in a crossed gesture that looked oddly asymmetrical because of her missing arm. "I swear I didn't hear anything. Much." She made a face. "Maybe a rumor. You know how it is. A Fyarl tells a vampire who tells another vampire who tells a vengeance demon…"

"Perhaps you could get to the point." Effie helpfully suggested, staring at her golden glowing hands. She couldn't will the magic away. Panic was coiling in her belly and it hurt to breathe. A part of her was convinced she was going to die if she didn't embrace the Hellmouth, if she didn't follow in her mother's footsteps, if…

"Might have heard a fear demon got it into his head to off the Slayer." Ripper sighed.

"Not the Careers?" Haymitch insisted. "Heard nothing about them? Or Snow?"

The half-demon glared at him. "Told you already. If I hear something about that, I'll let you know. I don't want to go back to those days any more than you do. Not many people do. Snow wasn't a kind ruler, boy." She shook her head. "Only your mother…"

"Don't talk about my mother." Haymitch spat, his eyes darting to the side, betraying exactly who he was seeing in that bar.

"What sort of fear demon?" Effie asked, trying to remain focused. "Or which one?"

There were so many…

"A Lachnoc." Ripper reluctantly answered. "That's all I know. Now get out of my bar."

"Rude." Effie clucked her tongue. "I assure you I have little love for your establishment. You should seize the opportunity to redecorate."

She headed to the door, only glancing back once to make sure Haymitch was following her. She blinked at the sunlight outside, it seemed too bright after the bar's dull neon lamps.

"I am not entirely familiar with Lachnoc demons." she admitted. "But the name should considerably facilitate the researching process and… _Don't_."

She tried to tear her glowing hand out of his, terrified sick her magic would hurt him.

"It's alright." he promised in a soothing voice, squeezing her glowing fingers. "It's okay. All good. Here. See? You ain't hurting me. You're in control."

"I am really _not_." she breathed out, thinking back to how _easy_ it had been to send that demon flying. Usually, it was the kind of feat that would have left her with a nosebleed at the very least. At the moment, it simply left her yearning for _more_. If she gave in to it, she would perform bigger and bigger spells until the magic burned her alive. "Please…"

But instead of releasing her, he brought her hand to his face. She understood what he wanted and, with a blink, she healed the small gashes. And, because it was disgusting and she was expected to hold tight to him when they would go back on that bike, she also made the blood from his clothes disappear. He smirked. "See? White magic. _Healing_ magic."

"You should tell that to the Varhall I just iced." she countered, leaning against his chest. "I am losing…"

"That's just the demon messing with your head. Just like my ghosts." he cut her off. "You're fine."

"My mother was probably in control at some point too, you know." she whispered. "She still is. That is the frightening part. She _chooses_ to use dark forces. What if…"

"You ain't like that." He pressed a kiss against her hair. "Let's grab breakfast before we go back home, yeah? I could use the break."

"Katniss will worry." She frowned. "And…"

"I'm gonna text the girl, the kids can get a head start on the researching. They can survive without us for half an hour." he offered. "And you're _good_. Look."

She did look and her hands had stopped glowing, the dread had disappeared and it didn't hurt that much to breathe. She pursed her lips and tilted her head to better look at him. "Are you distracting me on purpose?"

His smirk was impish and there was a twinkle in his eyes. "I've got more tricks to distract you, you know. We could skip breakfast and find a motel too… That comment you made about magic being better than sex's still hurting my feelings a little."

She whacked his shoulder, unable to fight her own smile. "Ruffian."

He handed her the spare helmet. "So that's a no to the sex, yeah?"

"I could kill for a muffin." she replied very seriously.

He rolled his eyes but the smirk was still stretching his lips and he got on the bike, leaving her very little time to settle behind him before kicking it to life. "Let's feed you, then."

They went to _Greasy Sae's_. So early on a Sunday, the diner was practically deserted. They picked a booth in a corner and Effie spent the five minutes necessary for Haymitch to send his text to the children staring at her own hands, scared they would start glowing again. She was so busy dreading losing control that she startled when Haymitch's fingers covered hers.

He took them away before she could say anything. The reason became obvious when a black-haired woman in a waitress uniform stopped next to their table with a bright smile. "Hey, Haymitch! Early morning?"

"Something like that, yeah." Haymitch snorted.

The conversation evolved into chit-chat Effie had zero interest listening in. The tag on the woman's chest informed her she was named Hazelle and the way she smiled and tilted her head every time Haymitch cracked a – not so funny – joke told her she wanted to sleep with him. Haymitch was uncharacteristically charming, flirty even.

Effie grabbed a small paper packet of sugar and started banging it on the table, a little irritated to be so easily ignored by both parties.

"Oh, by the way…" Hazelle frowned, suddenly turning serious again. "Everything's alright with Aster and the girls? We haven't seen them around the trailer park and Gale's in a state… I told him to wait and see at school on Monday but…"

Hadn't the Hawthorne boy mentioned that his mother was working at Sae's dinner? Or perhaps it was Katniss who had told her that. Anyway, the dots weren't difficult to connect and Effie privately thought it was no wonder she didn't like the woman if she had raised that particular child.

"They're fine." Haymitch hurried in reassuring her. "Aster's gonna be at a clinic for a while… You know… It was time. The girls are living with me for now."

"Oh, that's good." Hazelle nodded with a smile that made it very hard for Effie not to roll her eyes. _Of course_ , it was good. The woman clearly thought Haymitch to be some sort of knight in shining armor who loved children and she probably had those in spare. Effie could already tell the woman was picturing him becoming the new father to her brood.

"I am _loathe_ to interrupt your catching up but _may_ we order?" she cut in. They were wasting time and she hated the thought of the children alone when they were all battling their inner demons.

The look Hazelle tossed her would have chilled a charging Vahrall demon on the spot. Effie simply flashed her her best polite smile and didn't even blink. She could feel the telltale tingling in her fingertips though and the urge to _hurt_ that woman who was clearly coveting what was _hers_ was difficult to suppress. Hazelle _did_ take their orders though, once it was clear Haymitch wouldn't jump to her defense, and Effie only allowed herself to breathe again once she was gone.

" _Well_. I understand why you come here so often." she huffed.

The smirk on his lips was more amused than annoyed. "Don't read me the jealous act, sweetheart."

"Jealous?" she repeated with a scorn. "I am certainly _not_ jealous."

"Good." He shrugged. "Cause she's pretty but you look like a model so there's really no need to compare."

There was a compliment underneath that awkward turn of phrase so she let it rest. Still, she pursed her lips and banged the small paper sugar packet harder against the table. "She wants to sleep with you, in case you were wondering."

"Wasn't really." The smirk widened. "Not really interested right now."

The way he looked at her told her exactly who he was interested in sleeping with and she relaxed a little, just in time for Hazelle to bring the coffee they had ordered as well as the food. Effie's muffin looked a bit stale but it wasn't worth complaining about. She waited until the woman was back behind her counter to speak again, making sure to keep her voice low. "We agreed on casual."

And she wasn't certain they had been doing a very good job at keeping it thus.

"Yeah." he said, a bit subdued, before stabbing his eggs with his fork. "Ain't like this is a date or some _shit_ , you know. You can relax. Just thought we needed some air before we go back to the house. The kids are good but sometimes… They're a bit much, you know?"

She _did_ know. She loved them but she did know.

"Of course it is not a date." she retorted. "Dates do not involve demons."

His eyebrows shot up, his mouth twitching in bitter amusement. "All the dates I've ever been on had demons."

She shook her head, amused despite herself. "It is sad."

"Guess it is." he answered, a little too seriously. "Look, Effie…"

"You said I was your witch." she interrupted him. "Back at the bar. You said _my witch."_

He remained silent for a long time, his eyes on his plate, eating to forego answering… She nibbled on her muffin, drinking sips of coffee to make it a little more edible… She didn't try to rush him. Somehow, she knew it wouldn't be helpful at all.

"All the women I've ever got attached to one way or another died." he declared after a while. "Doesn't help that most of them were Slayers…"

"Mags is still alive." she pointed out. "And last I heard she is recovering."

"Yeah. Talked to her last week." A real smile touched his lips but it was short lived. "She can't speak well yet. Or long. But Finnick's finally got off his high horse long enough to keep me updated so… Progress." He waved his hand, dismissing that line of conversation. "Ain't the point. The point is…"

The point was obvious at the way his eyes had drifted to the side and remained riveted there, at the way his breath hitched and remained stuck in his chest…

"I am not leaving." she interrupted before he could renew his ridiculous request.

He licked his lips, took a deep painful breath, and slowly redirected his gaze to her. There was an intensity there, she wasn't sure she liked. "At the very least, you should consider leaving _me,_ Princess. I meant what I said. Snow comes back… We've got a twisted game going on. He finds out we're sleeping together, casual or not, you're the first he's gonna target and I… I don't want you to get hurt."

He rushed the words out and seemed at a loss once he was done. He looked down at his plate, grabbed another forkful only to drop it down and push the whole thing away, his appetite clearly spoiled.

The muffin wasn't appealing enough and she was too aware that Haymitch's phone hadn't pinged back with an answering text from the children acknowledging what they had found out.

" _Que sera sera."_ she whispered. He frowned but she dismissed the implicit question with a flick of her wrist. "I know our life is dangerous, Haymitch. I can take care of myself."

"You've got no idea what Snow's capable of." he argued. "If…"

"He is not free yet." she cut him off. "Our current objective is to stop the Careers before it can get to that and we should focus on it." She softened a little. "I think we should go home. How delightful as this non-date was."

He rolled his eyes but his shoulders lost some of their tension. "Fine."

He tossed a couple of bills on the table and stood up. She couldn't resist the urge to tease him. "Oh, you are paying. How gentlemanly of you…"

"Stop." he grumbled, leading her out with a hand at the small of her back. She wasn't even sure he realized what he was doing so she kept it to herself, fighting the grin off her lips. When they were at the bike, he put the helmet back on her head himself and made sure it was clipped before rapping his knuckles on top of it. He looked serious again. "Fate's a _bitch_ and I've got a bad gut feeling."

Fate… She thought back about what she had confessed the other night, about how her coming there and meeting him so many years after the time she might have become the Slayer felt too much like it was all part of a plan… Would it mean her death? Was there really any point in wondering?

"It might be the Lachnoc demon." she pointed out and then flashed him a teasing smile. "Or that terrible food your friend just served us."

For a second, she thought he was going to lose his temper but then he simply snorted. "Let's go home and fight ourselves a fear demon."

"You _do_ have weird date ideas." she mocked, letting him climb on the bike first so she could slip behind him.

"Not a date." he insisted. "No strings."

"Well…" she hummed, propping her chin on his shoulder right as he was about to kick the bike to life. "I _am_ wearing a G-string actually."

She hadn't known bikes could stall and it was a little scary but he got the control back quickly and spared her a look that was half-angry and half-aroused.

She supposed it wasn't really clever to distract him when he was driving that death trap and he had a right to be annoyed.

In retaliation, he went even faster on the way home and all she could do was cling to his waist and shut her eyes tight. She was relieved when the bike finally stopped again but it was short-lived because of the screaming coming from the backyard.

She and Haymitch didn't even share a glance before rushing straight there, weapons and magical fireballs ready to fly…

* * *

 _You know the saying: people who slay demons together stay together ;) How did you like their date? Are they still casual? Is Haymitch smooth? Are the most badass or what?Let me know your thoughts!_


	36. E5: The Struggle Within (7)

6.

* * *

Encouraged by Prim's frantic shouts for the two of them to _stop_ , Katniss tossed aside Peeta's crossbow and dove into the fray. She tried to pull Peeta off Gale but he flung her off with a distracted shrug of his arm as if she didn't weight anything – and as if she didn't have supernatural strength.

She fell flat on her ass and stared at the brawling boys who were rolling in Haymitch's overgrown weeds, throwing punches at each other. Her pride was smarting because she _should_ have been able to stop them, worse though was the dread that made her stomach churn. What if one of them got seriously hurt? What if they died? What if…

Breathing became painful, every breath a sharp stab to her lungs…

She could have wept in relief when she heard the roar of the bike in the distance – in part because she knew her Watcher would take charge and in part because that meant the two teachers were most likely alright. She sat there and stared, wincing in sympathy when Peeta landed a particularly brutal hit to Gale's cheekbone.

Haymitch and Effie barged into the backyard, weapons blazing as if they were expecting a huge fight against a demon army. They both froze at the same time.

"What the hell?" Haymitch spat, glaring at the boys who were still fighting and then at Katniss. "You're gonna get off your ass any time soon?"

Katniss didn't answer. She couldn't get past the thought that Peeta or Gale was going to get hurt because she wasn't strong enough to stop it.

Faced with her lack of reactivity, Haymitch cursed and sheathed his cutlass, glancing at the witch. " _You_ wanna do something or you're gonna sit down and enjoy the show like this one?"

Effie pursed her lips in reprobation and slowly extinguished the fireballs that were still burning in her palms. It looked difficult. Almost painful. After a couple of seconds, she shook her head. "I cannot guarantee I would not seriously hurt one of them."

"Fine, then." Haymitch grumbled and stepped forward. He didn't kid around. He grabbed the back of Gale's collar and pulled him off Peeta, narrowly avoiding an elbow in the guts. "Now, Peeta…" he warned.

Peeta cut him off with a war cry when he ran and tackled Gale, tearing him right off Haymitch's grip.

Katniss still didn't move. Peeta looked enraged, _possessed…_ At that second, she was half-certain he would kill Gale.

And then water splashed everywhere, making Effie jump out of range with a panicked yelp. It was cold and the pressure was so high that it hurt when it directly hit Katniss' arm. It had the desired effect on the boys though: they stopped fighting to jerk away from the stream of water.

They all turned toward Prim who stood next to the outer wall of the house, the hose held firmly in her tiny hands, a deep annoyed scowl on her face. "If you don't stop, I will do it again."

Katniss gaped at her sister, Gale and Peeta stared, Effie quirked her eyebrows up…

But Haymitch laughed and the sound was so rough and shocking that it jolted them all out of their shock.

"Oh, you're _definitely_ my favorite, sweetheart." the Watcher chuckled. "Alright. Back inside before you all catch your death. You too." That last part was directed at Gale with a sneer. "I'll get you some dry clothes."

"No need." Effie objected and waved her hands.

Next thing Katniss knew, her wet clothes were dry again. She got back to her feet, about to thank her for her help – because it _was_ a neat trick – when Gale took several steps back, pulling his suddenly dry shirt away from him. "Don't you _fucking_ do magic on me!"

Haymitch's sneer deepened but before he could say anything, Effie sniffed disdainfully. "Very well."

A careless spin of her finger and water poured down on Gale.

Katniss bit down on her bottom lip to stop herself from laughing. It wasn't _that_ funny and there really wasn't anything amusing about the whole situation.

There was a glint of murder in her – former? – best friend's eyes, though.

"I'm sorry." Peeta whispered, breaking the tension. He was staring at his hands, his bruised knuckles… "I'm sorry, I… I don't know… I…"

Haymitch's face softened as he reached for his shoulder. Peeta flinched very badly when he made contact. "It's alright, kid. Just a demon messing with your head."

"Alright?" Gale hissed. "He almost killed me!"

Peeta's whole body shuddered and he ran a hand over his face, immediately wincing when it bumped against his injuries. "I'm sorry."

"You should not have been here anyway." Effie pointed out to Gale, her gaze darting from him to Katniss. "Are _you_ alright, dear?"

"I…" she started but she didn't have time to finish explaining that she felt shell-shocked for no good reason that she could see.

" _I_ shouldn't be here?" Gale interrupted. "Katniss's _my_ friend. Who are _you_?"

"My _fucking_ guest. On _my_ fucking property." Haymitch spat. "Not to mention a _fucking_ teacher in your _fucking_ school so watch your tone, boy."

"Can we all stop screaming?" Prim demanded, still armed with her hose. The threat must have convinced everyone because Haymitch lifted both hands up in a peace offering and Effie suggested they all stepped inside and nobody objected.

"How did you think about that?" Haymitch asked her sister, leading her inside the house with an arm wrapped around her shoulders.

Prim's cheeks had grown slightly pink. "It works on Buttercup when he fights with strays."

Haymitch laughed again. At least someone was having a good day, Katniss mused bitterly. She hung back, not quite surprised when Gale stubbornly stood his ground, arms crossed over his soaked clothes.

"I'm sorry." Peeta said again, looking miserable and not meeting either of their eyes, before disappearing inside. Effie lingered for a couple of seconds, long enough to share a glance with Katniss. Her lips were pursed and her expression disapproving when she closed the backdoor behind her.

Katniss sighed and sat down on the steps that led to the back porch, watching Gale warily. "Why did you come here?"

"You're kidding, right?" he scoffed. "Your mom's gone, the trailer's empty, you and Prim are nowhere to be found… You don't answer my texts, your sister doesn't answer my brother's… I was _worried_ , Katniss."

Guilt gnawed at her guts but she pressed her lips firmly together, reminding herself that there was a reason she hadn't called Gale in the first place. "You were going to use magic on me, to steal my powers away."

"Not this again." he sighed, sounding tired and exasperated all at once. "I just wanted to protect you. You…"

"The Seam might not be safe at all soon." she cut him off. She found she was both tired and frustrated by the empty excuses he kept presenting her with. "You should take your family and go."

Gale studied her for a long time. "If it's not safe, we should _all_ leave. My family, you and Prim… We could make it, Catnip."

Wasn't it exactly what she had had in mind just two nights earlier? Leave? Run away? Protect her loved ones and _hell_ to the rest?

They had made their choice though…

She had made her choice…

Come hell or high water, she was staying with Haymitch. She was going to do her duty, make sure her sister had a world to live in that wasn't infested with vampires and demons.

"I'm not going anywhere." she answered. And it was only once she had said those words aloud that she actually _believed_ them, let them sink in… And the panic didn't come. "Prim and I are going to live here with Haymitch for a while."

Gale shook his head. "This is a mistake."

She shrugged. "Maybe. But it's mine to make."

Gale stared at her for a long time and then slowly crossed the distance between them. When she didn't protest, he slumped down next to her on the step. "I can't help but think you're going to get yourself killed."

"Eventually." she whispered.

She had read a few Watchers journals by now. She knew what to expect. If she was good, the best of the best, she would last a few years. And she _would_ fight, of course she would, for Prim if nothing else, but realistically she knew her chances weren't good to even last that long.

"I'll fight with you." he offered.

She scowled. "That didn't work out that well."

"Katniss…" He hesitated, reached for her hand… "I lov…"

"Don't." she snapped. " _Don't_."

He had kissed her right after telling her that she wasn't cut out to be a Slayer, that she wasn't _capable_ of doing the job she had been _called_ by fate for. And now he would tell her he loved her right after telling her she should quit while she was ahead – _alive_ – and she didn't want to hear it. She _didn't_ want to.

Gale wanted her to choose him, it came down to that. And it wasn't a choice she could make right then.

He slowly let go of her hand, linked his fingers together and stared at them hard. There was blood on his knuckles. Peeta's blood. It made her angry. Even if, really, it was Peeta who had started the fight.

"Is this about Mellark?" he asked slowly.

"It's about _me_." she hissed. "That's what you don't seem to get. Peeta has nothing to do with it."

Gale's gaze traveled up to her face. Her cheeks were _burning_ but she stubbornly kept staring at the overgrown yard and the makeshift targets they had been using to practice their aim.

"I don't believe you." he said quietly. "But when you need me, I'll be there. Be it for a ride out of town or because you need another archer."

She wanted to give the right answer to that but, as usual, the words weren't forthcoming. In the end, faced with her silence, he nodded to himself, stood up and left the way he had come.

She rubbed her eyes and told herself it was from lack of sleep and not because she wanted to cry. There was _nothing_ to cry about.

She stood up, took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and went back inside. The kitchen was empty, she followed the sound of voices to the library, not quite surprised to find Haymitch pulling books from the shelves and handing them to Prim so she could pile them on the big round table. Peeta was sitting on the side, facing Effie whose hands were glowing gold again. The witch was healing his injuries.

"Do you _ever_ check your phone?" Haymitch spat in her direction once he had spotted her.

"Pot meet kettle. You are both black." Effie muttered. Then she hissed and took her hands away from Peeta's face, shaking her fingers. "I am _so_ sorry, darling, I seem to be having some troubles containing my magic again… I do not want to accidentally hurt you…"

"It's fine, Effie. It already feels better." Peeta answered in a dull voice. "Thanks."

"It was not your fault." the woman whispered. "You were under demonic influence."

"Then why did it feel so good?" he retorted.

"Oh trust me, I cursed people before and it felt _very good_ indeed. Some people just get under your skin the wrong way…" Effie sighed and then winced. "Plus, of course, _demon._ It feels good only to make you feel worse later. _"_

"What's with the phone?" Katniss frowned. "Did you find something ? Do you know if the Careers…"

"Ain't the Careers. It's a Lachnoc demon." Haymitch cut her off. "Which I texted you about so you could get a head start on research."

"I haven't checked my phone in a while." she admitted grumpily. "It's upstairs. I'm gonna go grab it. Peeta, want to come with me?"

She wanted a word with him in private. To make sure he was alright and to find out what had happened outside.

"No." Haymitch snapped, slamming the next book on the pile in Prim's arms so hard the girl stumbled. He flashed her an apologetic wince but his face didn't soften. "No more boys upstairs." Then, his eyes darted to Peeta and he amended. "Unless you're staying over. Okay. No more boys in _your_ bedroom. Or girls in his bedroom. Nobody goes into any bedroom that _ain't_ theirs from now on."

Katniss blinked. It took a few seconds for the whole thing to sink in and then she sneered because it was unfair. She hadn't done _anything_ wrong and Haymitch had _no right_ to try to parent her like _that_. "Does the rule apply to Effie too?"

"You can have Effie in your bedroom." he deadpanned. "No problem." She glared at him and opened her mouth but he pointed at the stock of books on the table. "Lachnoc demon. Let's kill it before it kills us, yeah?"

There was a long silence and then Effie cleared her throat and grabbed her IPad, presumably to search for the demon in question. Peeta ducked his head and grabbed one of the old dusty books. After a moment of hesitation, Prim put her pile of books down and picked one at random. Haymitch immediately snatched it away, looked over his selection and handed her another one Katniss supposed to be more child friendly.

"I've got him." Effie announced a few minutes later. "Lachnoc demon." She skimmed through the text, her finger flying over the tablet and then made a face. "Immaterial unless forced to manifest through a ritual. Oh… Absolutely _not_ nice. It seems the sharp pain we experience is the demon slowly eating away at us through our panic… Preys suffer a slow agonizing death… Brings forth a person's worst fear and plays on it until the subject grows obsessed and loses their mind…"

"Nice." Haymitch mumbled, his grey eyes darted to the side where there was nothing but empty air. At least for Katniss. She supposed he was seeing some dead people from his past.

She didn't envy him.

Her fears of losing everyone didn't, at least, throw back her failures in her face.

"How do we kill it?" Peeta asked, sounding far more serious than usual. Then again, it had become personal for him.

Effie was silent for a moment longer as she read through the entry. "The first step would be to make him corporal. After that… Well… I suppose some arrows and a sharp blade would do the trick."

Haymitch nodded. "Start grabbing what you need for the ritual. Peeta, help her. I'm gonna go get a good sword. Katniss, get your bow. Prim, go upstairs and don't come out of your room."

Prim, to Katniss' relief, didn't discuss the order. She scampered upstairs after a whispered request for her to be careful. The moment she was out of the room and Effie and Peeta left to grab whatever magic stuff they needed from the witch's house however, Katniss felt the panic rise so hard she couldn't breathe anymore.

Separating was the _worst_ idea.

"Haymitch…" she called in a strangled voice.

But Haymitch didn't answer her. Not even when she fell to her knees because every time she breathed in, sharp daggers stabbed her lungs. She clawed at her own throat, desperate for some air…

Black dots danced in front of her eyes…

She was going to pass out.

She was going to pass out and because of that, everyone else was going to die.

°O°O°O°O°

Haymitch rushed down the stairs to the basement where he kept the special weapons, the _good_ weapons.

He regretted it the moment he let the door slam shut behind him and the lights flickered.

He forced himself to keep moving, to reach for the sword that was hanging on the wall… It had been his mother's weapon of choice and he had used it enough times over the years… He preferred knives but he would need enough range to distract the demon until Katniss could work her magic with her arrows. A sword seemed like the right choice and he needed the emotional attachment to this one because…

Because the moment his fingers closed around the hilt, the ghost of his mother appeared right next to him, close enough that he would have felt her breath on his face if there had been a breath left in her body.

There was an angry sneer on her face.

He took a few hasty steps back, telling himself she wasn't real, that none of them were real…

And yet they were _all_ there, encircling him, fencing him in… Various expressions of rage and betrayal on their faces… He whirled on himself, tried to find a breach in the circle… Jo was snickering in a cruel silent way. His brother's face turned into a vampire's and flashed him his fangs… Mabel had the familiar bloodthirsty glint in her eyes she would sometimes get after a particularly violent fight… They were all looking at him like he was the enemy.

Seven Slayers and one vampire.

He was the enemy.

He was going to die.

They were going to drag him straight to hell.

He was going to die.

He couldn't breathe anymore.

The pain was sharp.

Too sharp.

Daggers in his lungs.

He fell to his knees.

He was going to die.

°O°O°O°O°

The moment she closed the bedroom door, Prim wished she hadn't obeyed. She tried the handle but it wouldn't move under her palm. She was trapped. Alone. Forgotten.

Nobody would come for her.

She was going to die there.

Alone.

She tried the window but it was stuck.

She worked herself up into a full panic and she couldn't breathe anymore… It hurt too much.

Every time she breathed in, it felt like someone was stabbing her in the chest. Daggers in her lungs.

She fell against the wall, slid to the floor…

She didn't get back up.

* * *

 _Gale experienced the friend zone XD So... Are we in troubles yet? What do you think? Who will save the day? Let me know! I live for feedbacks!_


	37. E5: The Struggle Within (8)

8.

* * *

The front door remained open behind Peeta as they came jogging into her house but Effie didn't comment since they would not be there long enough for it to matter. She wasn't sure where the sudden _urgency_ was coming from but she was eager to start the ritual and dispatch the demon. The prospect of doing actual magic – _powerful_ magic – had her blood boiling with anticipation. The familiar hum of her power was turning into a throb a little too painful to ignore.

"I will need coarse salt for the protection circle." she said, heading straight for the living-room. "There is some in the kitchen cupboard."

She kept her most magical supplies handy in one of the living-room cabinets. She would need a copper bowl, some herbs and…

"Effie." Peeta hissed through clenched teeth from the room's threshold, the panic clearly audible in his voice. The anger too.

She turned around, a frown on her face, and searched for the threat he must have perceived… There was nothing in the room. Nothing but them.

The boy's features were distorted with fury.

"Effie, I can't… I can't control it." he growled, punctuating his sentence with a powerful punch in her brand new painted wall. It chipped off some paint. "I'm just so… The anger is too powerful.. I want to…"

He wanted to hurt her. Or anyone really.

Peeta had never voiced his terror out loud but she – and she supposed Haymitch – had understood it well enough. He was scared of becoming whoever was making his life hell at home, of losing control of his temper, of being violent with people he loved…

"Peeta…" She used what she hoped to be a soothing voice. "This is all in your head…"

But was it though? Her fingers were tingling so badly… She didn't need to look to know they were glowing gold again. The insisting throbbing of her power was so powerful it was quickly becoming painful. It begged for release.

He wasn't the only one scared of hurting someone they loved.

They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity but couldn't have been more than two seconds.

Then, Peeta lunged at her with a war cry and she lifted both hands in front of her, releasing some of her overflowing magic. The boy was propelled back but didn't remain on the floor long. He rolled back into a crouch and then stared at her long and hard, blood dripping from a gash on his forehead, his breathing visibly labored…

She thought he was going to pounce on her again but before she could do anything to prevent that, he _stilled_ as if he couldn't get enough air inside his lungs. Next thing she knew, his eyes were rolling back and he collapsed on her living-room floor.

"Peeta!" she shouted.

At least, she tried to shout. Her own lungs rejected every breath she tried to take. She fell to her knees, her glowing palms hitting the floor with a smack. The magic was going to consume her before the fear demon could get to her. She was certain of it.

Her powers weren't throbbing anymore they were _pulsing._ The magic would come out one way or another. She was too fragile a receptacle for it. She couldn't control it. She couldn't contain it. She was weak, like her mother had always said. Too weak for this. The magic would destroy her and perhaps use her body like a puppet.

She felt as if she was about to _explode_.

 _She_ _couldn't_ _breathe_.

She crawled away from Peeta, crawled all the way to the opened front door…

The only thing she could think about was that she needed to put as much space between her and her friends as possible. If she couldn't control the magic, if it lashed out… It would destroy everything around…

She rolled down the steps that lead up to her house without any grace, landing in her perfect driveway… It wasn't easier to crawl on gravel. She scratched her knees and her hands. She couldn't breathe. _She couldn't breathe_. Everything _burned_. It wasn't just her fingers that were glowing now, it was her whole body.

She managed to drag herself to the middle of the street between her house and Haymitch's and then she couldn't take it anymore.

She _screamed_.

When her voice went hoarse, she panted, unable to get her breath back. She rolled on her back, saw nothing but the grayish blue of the sky…

She was going to die.

The thought came with a calm sort of certainty. She was going to die. It wasn't a matter of _if_ anymore, it was a matter of _how_. Clearly, the Lachnoc demon had been watching them, figured out they knew it was him, upped his game before they could take the fight to him, safe in his immaterial form…

Well… Not on her watch.

She had all this magic that would end up killing her… She dug her fingers in the concrete, felt the road _break_ under the strength of her power… He had made her all powerful, _the demon_ had made her all powerful… It was time to show him that it had been a mistake.

She closed her eyes and gathered all the power she held within herself, searched the Earth for more… The Hellmouth was right there, so tempting… She almost gave in, almost… She felt large veins of pure power pulse on her face, when she opened her eyelids again, her head shot backward under the surge of magic, her eyes shone gold.

She screamed again.

She _had_ to.

It hurt so much.

The magic came out in a powerful wave and, bypassing any ritual, she forced the demon to manifest.

It appeared right there, a few feet from her. It was an ugly thing. A grey vaguely humanoid shape draped in an old dirty toga of sort.

The demon hadn't expected that, she could tell. She could breathe more easily, the fear was gone. It took all she had to roll on her knees and stand up. She wasn't steady on her feet when she outstretched both hands in the demon's direction.

" _Burn_." she ordered and her voice was pure command.

The magic surged again. Flames shot out of her palms, the demon was briefly engulfed in a blaze of green magical fire…

She didn't manage to maintain the spell more than a few seconds but it was enough for the cavalry to come to the rescue.

When she saw the first arrow hit his torso, she didn't bother trying to remain standing anymore.

She collapsed.

°O°O°O°O°

Katniss sucked a breath in with a gasp, too shocked to even notice _it didn't hurt anymore_. Her head spinning, it took her a few more seconds and a few more gulps of oxygen to realize someone had been screaming outside. Screams of pain.

 _Effie_.

Ignoring her aching limbs and the dizziness that had yet to pass, she rushed to her bow, barely noticing Haymitch coming back up from the basement with a sword he didn't seem to have the strength to lift properly. He looked just as dazed and lost as she felt.

She ran outside just in time to see Effie shoot _flames_ at a grey demon, _magical_ flames too. The witch didn't look good, she was as pale as death, she had a nosebleed and she was visibly shaking even from afar.

" _Shit_." Haymitch spat behind her, heading straight for his fellow Watcher.

Katniss took aim and started shooting.

Her whole attention on the demon, she only noticed Effie's fall because Haymitch ran over, dragging that sword behind him like it was weighing a ton. He dragged the witch's upper body off the ground, propped her up against his chest, cupped her cheek…

Katniss kept shooting at the roaring unhappy demon.

She wasn't making much progress with the bow.

At least until flaming arrows started slipping through her fingertips.

"Stop it, for _fuck's_ sake!" Haymitch raged at Effie. "You're gonna kill yourself!"

Katniss tried to shoot quicker so the witch wouldn't have to maintain that spell for long. It was starting to work, the disoriented – and now a little charred – demon was beginning to falter when it decided to _charge_.

Of course.

Katniss dove left, rolled and steadied herself in a crouch.

"Haymitch!" she shouted.

Her Watcher tossed the sword in her direction, blade up. _Dangerous gamble_ , she couldn't help but think even as her fingers closed around the hilt. The blade lit up with magical fire as soon as she touched it.

She didn't wait to attack the demon who might have been very powerful in his immaterial plane but was clearly _not_ a fighter. After the whole week-end of anguish, she took a lot of pleasure in chopping off his limbs.

"I said stop it!" Haymitch snapped, shaking Effie. "You're being reckless! Effie! _Effie!_ "

Katniss didn't need to look to know what was happening, the moment she twisted the sword around for the final hit, the blade turned cold, back to its original steel. It still beheaded the Lachnoc demon without any problem.

The corpse faded to grayish blue goo that splashed on her boots. She didn't pause to reflect on it and immediately jogged over to the middle of the street where Haymitch had Effie half sprawled on his lap.

"How is she?" she asked, a worried frown on her face.

Prim came running out of the house just as Peeta staggered out from Effie's.

Haymitch didn't pay either of them any attention. His big hand was cupping the woman's nape, her blond hair in complete disarray. She had fainted at some point – most likely when the blade had stopped burning – and she _really_ didn't look good.

"Is she breathing?" Prim immediately dropped to her knees. "You shouldn't hold her like that, her nose is bleeding. She could choke."

"She needs to go to the hospital." Haymitch replied, letting the twelve year-old adjust his hold on her. "She overdid it. I don't know…" He made a face, let go of her long enough to run a hand in his hair. "I ain't a magical expert. She could be in a _fucking_ coma after what she just pulled. She's a _fucking_ idiot! If she makes it, I'm gonna _kill_ her! That was…"

"She's breathing." Prim cut him off. "Let's focus on that."

Katniss was always amazed at how good her sister was when it came to taking charge in case of medical emergency.

"She's right." she said, turning toward Peeta who was slowly making his way over, clutching his head. "We need your car."

The boy wordlessly fished his keys from his pocket and handed them over to her.

Haymitch gave him a glance over and frowned. "What happened to you?"

"She knocked me off." Peeta mumbled, blinking slowly. "What happened?"

"What happened is we won't be going to the hospital for nothing." Haymitch scoffed, slowly hauling himself – and Effie – up. "Let's go."

They all piled in Peeta's truck. Katniss almost asked Haymitch if he was _certain_ he was in any shape to drive but she thought better of it and swallowed the question back. Peeta could barely stay awake and it would probably take _her_ far too long to drive the car to the Village's gate so Haymitch was their best bet even if he looked like he had aged ten years in an hour.

She glanced at his shaking hands strangling the wheel and wondered how long it had been since he had last drunk, too. She couldn't remember seeing him sneaking drinks as regularly as usual.

"Her pulse is very faint." Prim whispered to her at some point.

She shouldn't have bothered keeping her voice low because it was so silent in the car, Haymitch heard anyway. He sped up so abruptly Katniss' stomach churned.

She hated hospitals.

She hated the way her friends were whisked away, Effie on a stretcher, Haymitch following close behind and Peeta coaxed to a bed by a nurse who immediately grabbed a pad to press against his bleeding forehead. She hated the way the medical staff pushed her and Prim back and asked them to stay in the waiting room until her friends were settled.

"Your father will be right back." one of the nurses kindly told them. "Your mother and your brother are in excellent hands."

It was so stupid that Katniss gaped instead of correcting her.

Prim flopped down on one of the empty chairs, not even bothering to swallow back her giggles. It wasn't _that_ funny but Katniss slowly sat down next to her and shrugged. "I guess it makes sense to them. We all came in together."

Her sister shook her head, laughing harder. It was adrenaline, probably, a reaction to a post impending death moment. Katniss was torn between laughing with her and feeling very sorry she hadn't protected her better.

" _Brother_." Prim finally whispered between two chuckles.

Katniss' eyebrows shot up. " _That's_ what gets you?"

Her sister shot her a knowing grin. "If Peeta was our brother, the way you look at him would be very _very_ sick. Possibly illegal."

She felt herself blush, not really sure why. She nudged Prim's knee with her own. "I don't look at him."

"Sure." Prim humored her. "You don't look at him at all. Like he doesn't look at you. Just like Effie and Haymitch don't look at each other. Nobody's looking at anyone."

She rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips because it was good to see Prim act so lightly despite everything. But _everything_ was weighing heavily on her mind. "They will be okay, right?"

She was the big sister, she was supposed to be the one to offer reassurance and comfort but…

"Peeta didn't look too bad. He probably just knocked his head a little too hard." Prim commented, slipping her hand in hers. "I don't know about Effie."

She forced herself to smile for her sister's sake. "She'll be fine. She's _Effie_. Nothing keeps her down for long."

They didn't talk after that, they kept holding hands and watching the other people anxiously waiting for news like they were. It was several minutes before Haymitch came back.

"They kicked me out." he grumbled. "They're doing tests, she hasn't woken up yet. And they're taking the boy for a CT. They called his folks but no answer." He sat down on a chair and rubbed his face. "He should be okay, though. Mild concussion maybe."

Katniss let out a sigh of relief.

"What about Effie?" Prim asked gently. "I mean… You said she could end up in a coma… But it's because of the magic, will the doctors know how to help her?"

"Guess it's like her body's shutting down. Either it recuperates on its own or… I know a few people who could help if it comes to that maybe…" He shook his head. "I don't know. Let's just hope she wakes by herself. Might take a couple of days. Let's just hope for that."

"She'll be fine." Katniss said firmly. "She _has_ to be."

She wouldn't accept anything less.

* * *

 _Ding dong the witch is dead! Oh... Or is that demon? Which one is it... Mmmm... What did you think? two chapters left in this episode!_

 _An aside but on monday I will start posting a daemon au (from pullman's books, no knowledge necessary) with a chapter a day for the next two weeks and a half so come on board if you want! It should be titled: the sinews of thy heart (because i don't have a better idea yet)._


	38. E5: The Struggle Within (9)

9.

* * *

Waffles on Sunday mornings were hugely overrated.

Katniss poked at the soggy mess in her plate with her fork and tried to muster an appropriately thankful smile for a beaming Effie. Prim had coaxed Haymitch into helping her make the dough that morning and the witch's only job was to actually put the dough in the waffle iron. How she could have messed _that_ up…

Peeta was still trying to swallow a bite of his own waffle and Prim was pretending to be looking for Buttercup's food in a cupboard to avoid having to deal with her own.

And yet Effie hadn't been out of the hospital long enough that Katniss felt comfortable rubbing her nose in her lack of cooking talents. Not when the woman still had visible dark bags under her eyes despite the heavy layer of make-up and certainly not when she had remained in a coma of sort for two very long days.

She reminded herself she was supposed to be the Slayer, vanquisher of all evil or whatever, and that she could confront a saggy waffle. She took a bite, chewed hard and forced a smile.

"It's good." she said around that mouthful.

Haymitch snorted. He was leaning against the kitchen counter, a tall glass of orange juice – although given the color, it probably wasn't _only_ orange juice – in his hand. When Effie pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at him, the warning obvious on her face, he simply shook his head and nudged the witch toward one of the chairs.

"I'm in charge of making the waffles now." he decided.

"I am perfectly capable of doing it." the woman huffed. "I just have to pour dough in the machine, press down and wait the required amount of time. How can I mess _that_ up?"

"That's the question." Peeta muttered under his breath, for Katniss' ears only. They exchanged an amused smile and quickly looked away to avoid bursting out laughing. That wouldn't go down well.

"Let's make it a new rule that people who spend a week at the hospital ain't required to cook." Haymitch taunted. "Hell, I'm gonna sweeten the deal, Princess. Let's make it a rule _you_ are never required to cook cause _I_ don't wanna spend a whole week with food poisoning."

The witch huffed and puffed and then pouted but Katniss thought Effie was secretly relieved to be able to sit down and eat breakfast without having to make it.

It had been her own idea to have everyone over. Peeta had showed up practically at dawn, having sneaked out of the house before he could be swept in the Sunday rush at the bakery. He, unlike Effie, looked completely recovered from his slight concussion.

None of them, however, seemed completely recovered from the fear demon's influence. The fears lingered under the surface, unaddressed and generally ignored.

"What's the plan today?" Peeta asked just as Prim came back to the table. Right in time for Haymitch to switch her waffle for a fresh one – one that didn't look a mess. "More research?"

 _The Careers._

The reminder made Katniss' stomach churn and her appetite wavered. She casually took a sip of her tea and avoided her sister's knowing – and worried – gaze. The two of them, along with Haymitch and later on once he hadn't felt like puking every five seconds Peeta, had been poring over books all week. In effect, they had been poring over books for _months_.

"We all need a break." Haymitch denied, his grey eyes traveling from the boy to Effie and back to Katniss. They lingered on her and she jutted her chin up, trying to convey she was perfectly up to doing more research. She wanted to be prepared. When the Careers would come… Haymitch shook his head, as if already knowing what she was about to say. "We don't have any lead to go on. There's nothing in the library. We're gonna have a training session later but we're taking today off. You kids do something fun."

"We could all do something together." Prim suggested. Everyone looked at her and she blushed. "I mean… It could be nice? Like a family day?"

Katniss held her breath, not sure what sort of reaction that would trigger. Haymitch was their guardian now, it didn't mean he was duty bound to indulge her sister. He had promised he would take care of Prim if anything happened to her but he had never promised he was going to…

"Don't see why not." Haymitch shrugged, his face softening like often around the twelve year-old. Maybe she reminded him of his brother. "What do you have in mind?"

" _Oh_ … How about some manicure time?" Effie cut in, almost bouncing on her chair in her enthusiasm. "I have new nail polish bottles I have been meaning to try and I have _precious_ new patterns for nail art…" Haymitch opened his mouth – probably to protest – and the witch waved her hand before he could say anything. "You can sit in a corner and read. Nobody will force you to paint your toenails pink, Haymitch."

"We could play chess." Peeta offered the Watcher.

"Chess it is." Haymitch gratefully agreed, dropping a waffle on Effie's plate.

"Do you have a purple one?" Prim asked, clearly excited by the prospect. "Can I paint mine purple?"

Effie flashed her a bright smile. "You can have purple nail polish, glitter and any pattern you want."

Katniss found herself lost in the momentum, not really wanting to get a manicure but also unwilling to damper her sister's and the witch's mood. Haymitch and Peeta started talking about their History assignment over Effie and Prim who were still discussing nail polish and Katniss ate her waffle and watched, content to know everyone was in one place, safe and sound.

Maybe waffles on Sunday mornings weren't so overrated after all.

Her thoughts strayed to Gale and she was tempted to send a text, check up on him, but she ignored the impulse. Things were too strange with her best friend right now, too tense, and Gale had made it clear he didn't want to be a part of this team, of this makeshift family. The thing was – and she might not have been willing to believe it a few months earlier so she couldn't fault her best friend for doubting it – she _loved_ her makeshift family, even the witch whose magic she still had ambiguous feelings for most of the time.

They all looked happy enough right then, so she went with the flow.

Once they had eaten their full, they all ended up in various spots of the living-room. She had had no idea Prim was so knowledgeable about nail art until that moment – although, as she promptly was informed by her sister, that was apparently what _Pinterest_ was for; she didn't confess not knowing what it meant. It took her a while to realize all of Prim's friends probably used nail polish but her sister had never asked for any because she knew it cost money.

"That's a lot of glitter." Haymitch muttered at some point, glancing away from the chessboard and to what Effie was doing to Prim's nails. It _was_ a lot of glitter for a twelve year-old but Prim looked so happy… And it _was_ pretty. Stylized glittery flowers over a light layer of purple… Katniss was pretty sure if she had tried to do that it would have ended up looking like a dump of glittery stuff.

She was wary when it was her turn to submit to Effie's talents and she _begged_ off anything glittery but she had to admit it was a little fun. If only because when Prim tried her hand at it, it turned out a little odd and they all laughed about it.

It felt strangely… _normal_. Not only like before the supernatural entered her life but before her father died. She had very vague memories of entire days spent like that, doing nothing special but spending time together… She couldn't remember the last time she had seen Prim so relaxed and that was good. She needed this. A strong woman she could look up to – even if Effie was silly at the best of times – and someone who would watch out for her like Haymitch obviously intended to do, even Peeta had started acting like a protective brother and it made Katniss feel better about the whole _dying young_ thing. She knew Gale would also still look out for her sister even if they weren't on the best terms. When she would fall… Prim would be alright.

Katniss, maybe a bit reluctantly, found she was having fun. At some point, she switched places with Peeta because Effie was adamant about initiating him to nail art – or, more accurately, because she wanted him to help her with her own nails – and she ended up being mocked mercilessly by Haymitch for her lack of talent at chess.

They had a late lunch where they lingered at the table afterwards and they were all so relaxed and, dared she think, content that the ringing of a phone was like a very cold shower.

"Is that _Rambo_?" Haymitch frowned, fishing the phone out of his pocket, sparing an irritated look for Peeta.

"What else was I supposed to use for your mysterious demon hunter friend?" the boy replied innocently. "From the stories, Chaff sounded like a _Rambo_ to me."

"What did I say about the personalized ringtones?" Haymitch grumbled, standing up and swiping the screen in the same move. "Yeah."

He left the room and all they could hear was the low rumble of his voice in the corridor. Nobody tried to start a conversation. Even Effie was staring at the door with worried eyes. The mood had shifted, they were all tense and anxious again.

When Haymitch came back, his face was grim. "Chaff managed to track Enobaria down to Italy. The trail led to a missing ceremonial dagger, a coven full of dead nuns and few missing sailors and dock workers. His lead went dead in the harbor and the trail was already cold."

"What does that mean?" Peeta asked.

"It means they _are_ planning a ritual of sort and that Enobaria took a boat." Effie deduced.

"It means the Careers _are_ on their way." Katniss added. "If they're not already here."

There was a long pause and then Haymitch cleared his throat. "It's training time. For all of us." His glance fell on Prim and a flash of regret passed over his face. "You too, sweetheart. Don't expect you to do any fighting but I want you to be able to use a stake. Just in case."

Katniss doubted that was what her sister had meant by _family time_ but their family wasn't exactly normal to begin with.

* * *

 _They can't catch a break! Did you like it? Let me know!_


	39. E5: The Struggle Within (10)

10

* * *

Cross-legged on the floor of her gym, Effie linked her fingers together and stretched her arms toward the ceiling to try and relieve the ache in her back. The pink silk dressing gown slid down her shoulder a little but she didn't pay it any mind. Her skin was still warm and slightly reddish from her shower and she felt better than she had in days, certainly better than when she had woken up on that hospital bed, her head full of cotton, to find Haymitch staring at her with worried eyes and a three days beard.

She couldn't suppress a shiver when she remembered what could have happened. She could have ended up dead. She had been _lucky_. Her body still feeling sore was a small price to pay compared to what could have been.

That afternoon training session hadn't really been challenging for her, Haymitch had insisted she took care of Prim and taught the girl how to use a stake, which wasn't actually straining. He was the one who had taken the brunt of the session, simultaneously putting both Katniss and Peeta through drills before tackling more physical fighting techniques.

She wasn't sure she was happy about Peeta training like that, she mused, dropping her arms and focusing back on the supplies she had spread around her. Self defense was one thing, one _very_ useful thing, as she had told Prim, but she had the feeling Haymitch was grooming Peeta to become… like him. Someone who could handle their own faced with demons and vampires. A watcher to be, perhaps, even though it would be a long shot given how closed the Council was to strangers.

She woke up her IPad and read through the whole page again, humming slowly under her breath. She checked and rechecked her preparation, made sure she had enough coarse salt, dried petals and herbs… She carefully lit the three sticks of incense that formed a large triangle in the room before sitting back down on the spot she had chosen.

"Is this a booty call or a magic call?" Haymitch snorted from the threshold. "'Cause I can't tell."

She looked up with a small smile, waking the tablet again. "Does it have to be mutually exclusive?"

He made his way past the running mill, tossing his jacket on one of the handles, and avoided stepping on her yoga mat. She had picked her gym because it had the most northern exposure and the book said it would help. Haymitch's grey eyes embraced the incense triangle, the empty copper bowl in front of her, the map of town, the ingredients she had left in easy reach, the little iron bell that seemed so outdated nowadays, and he sat down in the space she had designated for him, facing her, on the other side of the supplies.

"What are we doing?" he asked. "Doesn't look like a location spell."

He would think of location spells because of the map, she supposed. And they _could_ have tried to spot the Careers that way if they had had something of theirs. But without that connection, she couldn't do much more than guess work.

"I found a protection spell." she explained, handing him the tablet so he could see for himself. "It is supposed to ward against evil. It should cloak the house to everyone with evil intentions. It is perfect because not only will it ensure the Careers, and Snow if it comes to that, cannot find us but it should protect us from further dealings with demons who think they can attack our homes."

Haymitch quickly perused the text and lifted his eyebrows. "Does it work on humans?"

"It should work on anyone with evil intentions." she repeated. "Everyone else will be able to see the Village without troubles."

He looked up with a frown. "You're gonna ward off _the whole_ Village?"

She brushed her fingertips against the map, she had circled the whole Village with a red felt-tip pen. "Yes."

"That's a lot." His frown deepened. "You're sure you should be using magic again so soon?"

She bristled a little even though she knew he was asking because he was worried and not because he was questioning her abilities. Unlike Coin who had implied she was incompetent for getting herself out of commission for days at a crucial time…

"I feel fine." she promised. "It is a simple enough spell. It could have waited after patrol. I am surprised you didn't go with Katniss, by the way… I was going to ask Peeta to assist me originally but it seems to me he has a lot on his plate right now."

Of all of them, Peeta was the one who was having the most troubles recovering from the Lachnoc demon's influence. That seemed terribly obvious to Effie. Haymitch had shrugged off the while demonic influence thing apparently easily enough, perhaps because even though he didn't usually _see_ the ghosts, he always carried them with him wherever he went. Katniss was closed-off as usual and if she kept an even keener watch over them all than before, it was subtle enough not to be glaring. Prim's fear of abandonment had seemed to abate a little once she had really settled in her new home – and Haymitch's not so clueless constant reminders that she was his favorite helped, she figured. As for herself… She had chosen not to look at her hidden desires too closely, to ignore how good it had felt to be so powerful, how greedy she had been for more power, how desperate she had been to be… _more_.

"Yeah, patrol… Seemed to me the kids could use some alone time to talk." he admitted. "And… Can't be with her every minute of the day. Got to trust she can… handle herself."

Effie studied him, barely controlling the amused twitch of her lips. "She told you she didn't want you hovering like a mother hen and that you should watch Prim, didn't she?"

He rolled his eyes. "That girl's a pain. And Prim's gone to bed so…"

She ducked her head to hide her smile and handed him the little bell. "Read the spell over if you wish. I will handle the actual magic, I just need you to repeat after me and ring the bell when needed. I trust you can handle it?"

"I've done magic before." he grumbled and then he smirked, his eyes twinkling. "Got to get naked too or what?"

"I am not naked." she denied, tilting her head with a coy look.

She _was_ pretty much naked. The pink silky dressing gown was loosely tied at the waist and barely kept her decent. She hadn't felt the need to get dressed when she knew how she wanted that night to go.

"Yet." he pointed out, his smirk widening. Still, he grabbed the tablet and read the instructions more carefully. "You know I hate doing magic, yeah? Always creeps me out."

"Well… You will be happy to know I am back to my usual limited abilities so there is no need for you to feel scared." she replied.

He glanced up at her and back down at the tablet. "Never felt scared."

She shivered when she remembered the needy pull of her own magic tugging at her mind, how deep the power had run, how _corrupting_ … The call of the Hellmouth, almost too tempting to ignore…

"That makes one of us, then." she huffed. He put the tablet down and watched her for a moment, his face blank. She held his gaze for a minute and then averted it. "What is it?"

"I've got a theory." he said, calm but a bit sarcastic. "But you ain't gonna like it."

She crossed her arms in front of her, almost hugging herself. "A theory?"

"I've been reading up on Lachnoc demons…" he hesitated. "They create illusions, exploit latent fears… But they can't create the kind of power you've been showing, sweetheart. Losing control of your magic, the Hellmouth thing… Seems legit. But there's no way the demon increased your power."

Her stomach churned with dread and she hugged herself tighter. She knew what he was getting at, he had been adamant she was more powerful than she let on since she had first performed magic in front of him. However, he was _wrong_. Her mother would have known if she had been. Her mother would have _loved her more_ if she had been.

"I am not a strong witch." she refuted but it sounded weak. Because he had a point. The power hadn't felt _borrowed,_ it had felt like it _belonged_ to her but… No. It couldn't be. She had never shown that much ease or…

She resisted the urge to summon her cigarettes. The air in the room needed to remain clear for the ritual. She could stress-smoke once they would be done.

"Magic creeps me out." Haymitch offered casually, placing the tablet back in front of her. "Always has. Hates how it feels on me. Your magic though… It's warm. Tingles. Like a kiss." He shook his head at his own bad metaphor. "You shine gold when you do big magic, sweetheart. Gold doesn't strike me as an evil omen. You shouldn't be scared of yourself. Don't know what your mother is or not but you ain't like her."

There was a lump in her throat and she nodded her understanding but the idea that she might have been so scared of her own powers that she had subconsciously buried them deep inside herself? It was disturbing and not in a good way. Was it even possible? She already knew she wouldn't be calling her mother to ask. Her mother would laugh and tell her to stop confusing her wishes with reality. Caesar though… Caesar might know. And her former Watcher would not mock her for the question.

Either way, it was not something that would be cleared up that night and they had work to do.

She forced herself to relax, uncross her arms, put a smile on her face, fake some cheerfulness. "Shall we?"

He sighed but nodded.

She closed her eyes, tried to find the inner peace she needed – and that was always so hard to achieve – let herself feel the gentle soothing hum of her magic… Then she licked her lips and started.

" _Goddess, hear me."_ she demanded, pausing only long enough for Haymitch to echo her words and ring the bell. " _Goddess, I call to thee."_ She slowly poured the dried petals into the copper bowl, waiting until Haymitch had repeated and rung the bell to continue. " _Goddess, heed my prayer."_ She added three pinches of herbs, letting Haymitch ring the bell once between each offering. " _Goddess, protect your supplicant."_ She let the coarse salt slowly slip through her fingers and into the copper bowl. Once Haymitch had echoed her words and the bell had chimed, she placed the map on top of the bowl. " _Goddess, bless this abode."_ She closed her eyes, outstretched her hands over the bowl. This was the crucial moment. _"Goddess, let it be free of evil."_

She summoned magical fire to consume the content of the bowl. The flames were burning an emerald green. She opened her eyes and nodded at Haymitch who repeated and rang the bell one last time. The moment the bell chimed the three stick of incense flared and the magical fire died.

She felt the tug of her magic down to her navel, she felt the _pulse_ washing off her and spreading like a wave of power…

She knew the spell had worked.

She felt high on magic for a second.

"Well…" Haymitch chuckled, licking his lips. " _Shit_. That felt…"

"Warm and tingly like a kiss?" she teased, lowering herself on her back because she felt a little light-headed. It was better lying down. Definitely better.

"Depends _where_ we're talking about kissing." he snorted. She heard him push everything aside and she wasn't really surprised when he hovered over her on all four. "Magic's still better than sex, sweetheart?"

She couldn't help but grin. "Still not over that comment?"

"Ain't sure I'm ever gonna be." he retorted.

"Perhaps you should try to convince me, then." she challenged.

She distractedly played with the buttons of his shirt. He shifted his weight on one hand, his free one immediately tugging on the belt of her dressing gown. She shivered a little when the air hit her naked skin but she didn't have time to be cold for long, not when his mouth immediately closed on her nipple.

"You're so fucking gorgeous." he muttered, tracing a burning path down her stomach.

She loved the raspy feel of his stubble against her skin.

She loved what he could do with his tongue even more.

Afterwards, once they were both very naked and so sweaty she would be forced to take another shower before going to bed, they laid side by side and stared at the ceiling. Effie wanted to bask in the afterglow but her mind was too busy to shut down, even after breathtaking sex. She knew he was rummaging his own problems too, the very tangible probability that Snow would be rising too much to be ignored.

"Are we still casual?"

The question slipped out before she could hold it back, brought up by the memory of their non-date at the diner, the dread of seeing the Master vampire rise and her own fear at powers she may or may not secretly possess. The same way he was apparently scared of seeing her hurt because of their affair, she was scared she would end up hurting him with her magic. Accidentally or not. She had lost count of the number of times she had seen her mother do something drastic for her own gain.

Perhaps it was easier to think it was magic that had corrupted Elindra than to accept her mother had always been so greedily selfish.

"Yeah." he said immediately, without even pausing to think about it. "Why? You wanna stop?"

Was she projecting the relief beneath the question? She couldn't imagine what it was like. Losing first your mother, then your brother, then the love of your life only to see your charges die one after the other… Terrifying probably.

"I think it is too late for that." she whispered.

She didn't see them stopping any time soon. Not when her whole body seemed to hum every time he stood next to her. Not when she couldn't help but smile at his lame jokes. Not when he infuriated her so much she wanted to claw his eyes out or kiss him senseless or both.

He didn't answer.

Maybe because he knew it too.

She felt his head roll to the side so she turned hers. They stared at each other for a while and she was _so sure_ he was going to say something _important,_ something that would change _everything_ – and she was both scared and elated – that she was disappointed when he closed his eyes and went back to looking at the ceiling. She didn't try to probe though. She snuggled against his side to keep warm and hooked a leg over his thigh, simply happy when he wrapped his arm around her, tugging her even closer.

They stayed like that for long enough that she was contemplating suggesting they took this to her bedroom. The floor really wasn't that comfortable.

"You think I did right?" he asked suddenly. "About the boys in the bedroom rule, you know?"

He sounded unsure, out of his depths, but it took Effie a moment to decipher what he was talking about. Forbidding Katniss from being alone in her room with boys. Well… _Peeta_.

"Honestly I thought it was an obvious rule." she hummed. "Caesar would have _killed_ me."

He would not have been _surprised_ but he _would_ have killed her if he had caught her sneaking boys in her room.

And thankfully for everyone involved, he had _never_ caught her.

"It's just…" He sighed, tangling his fingers in her hair in what was quickly becoming a habit of his. He liked playing with her curls, she had noticed. "Feel like a _fucking_ hypocrite. When I was her age… Mabel and I were at it like rabbits. She was a real fan of the _we could die tomorrow_ idea, you know."

It wasn't hard to imagine. She already had troubles keeping her hands to herself _now_ , she couldn't imagine not wanting to have some naughty fun with him at sixteen.

"What did Mags say?" she asked.

"Mostly she pretended she didn't know." He shrugged. "Saved us all unnecessary drama, I guess. Should have done the same really. Ain't my business what Katniss does. She could die soon. Should enjoy life."

She hated the sadness in his voice just as much as she hated to think about losing their current Slayer. She let her fingers drift on his chest, tracing random patterns toward the big scar on his side, the one he didn't like her to touch.

"Did you get involved in your other Slayers' love life?" she enquired.

He remained silent for a long time, probably because it was painful to talk about. "Not really. Maysilee cut herself off from everyone. Alina only had school crushes. Cecilia had a steady boyfriend but she never talked to me about it. Jo… Jo had one-night-stands." He snorted. "So many. Made me furious 'cause they were older guys and she deserved more but she was…" He stopped and shrugged. "Jo was Jo. She had her issues." Her fingers were dancing on the huge swollen scar when he replaced her hand higher on his chest. He didn't even seem to realize it. "And Annie… Annie was a mess from start to finish but she and Finnick… It was obvious. Nothing to say about it. Reminded me of…"

He let the sentence trail off but she understood it well enough. The Watcher in training and a Slayer. It had reminded him of himself and Mabel.

"I could talk to Katniss about contraception methods if you wish." she offered. "I am assuming nobody had the talk with her…"

"Safe bet." He scowled. "You know… Ain't sure taking the girls in is the smartest thing 'cause I ain't parent material but then one of them's gonna say something sometimes and I think they're better off with me anyway, even if I'm gonna _fuck_ it up eventually. They've been on their own for a long time, seems like."

"Given that your first impulse was to ban Peeta from Katniss' room despite your own personal experience, I am going to say you _are_ actually parent material." she teased, softening that with a kiss on his shoulder. "But you are right, they _do_ need someone and with this spell now the Village will be the safest place for them. For all of us." The only problem was… "Did Peeta talk to you?"

"About what had him so terrified of getting too angry to control himself?" he deadpanned. "Not a pip. He talked to you?"

"No." she admitted. And yet the boy had visited her every day at the hospital, brought her flowers and get well cards from the Art class students… She hated the shadow she could glimpse in his eyes still. The fear. The guilt. It made her furious. Furious enough to want to hurt someone. "At which point do we decide it is enough and storm that bakery?"

Haymitch rubbed his face and sighed. "We can't prove anything."

"There are bruises and burn marks." she snapped. "Do _not_ tell me…"

"Effie. We have _zero_ proof." he cut her off. "And he ain't talking. We can report it to Heavensbee but then what? It won't lead to anything cause the boy's gonna deny it and that's only gonna make his parents more angry which is gonna put him in danger. _And_ he might decide he doesn't trust us anymore and he won't come to us if he needs help. It _has_ to come from him. We can do _shit_ until he talks to one of us."

She bundled her hand into a fist and propped her chin on his shoulder so she could look at him. "I am warning you. When he _does_ talk, I will unleash the fires of _hell_ on that bakery."

She wasn't entirely sure she wasn't being literal.

He couldn't have had a problem with that though because he only snorted. "I'll hold your purse while you do."

She replaced her cheek down on his shoulder, satisfied. That was what a good not-boyfriend ought to do.

* * *

 _They're still casual alright XD Will the bakery survive Effie's wrath? Next week is the last chapter of this episode and, yes, it only has Katniss and Peeta in it so you will get everlark content. Be patient, my lovelies, everlark is a slow burn when Effie is a blaze, not my fault. What did you think of this chapter? Let me know!_


	40. E5: The Struggle Within (11)

11.

* * *

Katniss studied her waffle with pursed lips in the dim glow of the lampposts that boarded the pavement.

"Does this look like sugar or dust to you?" she asked, tilting the waffle she had wrapped in paper napkins before leaving the house earlier.

Peeta barely glanced at the leftover from breakfast, amusement dancing on his face. "I told you you should have eaten it _before_ patrol."

Her pursed lips morphed into a full pout and she tried to decide if she was really _that_ disgusted by the possibility of swallowing vampire dust. She had kept the waffle wrapped and safe in her pocket the whole time they had toured the cemetery, determined to save it for _after_ when she would feel the urge to eat something sweet. She always craved something sugary after patrolling for some reason.

She hadn't even found that many vampires that night. A few in the graveyard that hadn't really been a challenge, a couple in dark alleys… They were getting closer to the town's center right then because Katniss' not so subtle aim was to walk Peeta back home so he would get there safely since he didn't have his truck. His father wasn't letting him drive yet, from what she had gathered, because of the concussion.

In the end, she shrugged and took a big bite, praying it was sugar and not dust, unwilling to waste perfectly good food. Fortunately, it didn't taste weird.

"How's the arm?" she asked, between two bites.

Peeta winced and rolled his left shoulder a couple of times. "Better. Haymitch wasn't kidding with the training."

"You wanted to learn." she pointed out.

That afternoon training had been challenging, maybe because it was the first time they all trained together and the fact that Effie had spent half the time coaching her sister had distracted her. Haymitch had run both she and Peeta through drills that had kept increasing in difficulty.

"I did. I _do_." Peeta countered. "I'm just not… I don't feel that great yet."

He rubbed his forehead with a sheepish wince and Katniss winced in sympathy. She was feeling so bad for him that she handed him what was left of her waffle but he refused with a shake of his head. She didn't insist too much. Killing vampires, as it turned out, made a Slayer hungry.

They were nearing the bakery and when they passed in front of the shop's front window, she let her eyes linger over all the pretty cakes and pastries lined up to catch a potential customer's gaze. She could remember a time when she had spent hours watching those cakes, fantasizing about them, how they would taste on her tongue… She had been so starved back then that she would have done anything for a piece of bread. The cakes had looked amazing but not as much as the bread she had watched people walk out of the bakery with, the same bread Peeta used to sneak to her sometimes to her great embarrassment.

The lights were still on on the bakery's upper floor but Peeta didn't stop in front of the door like she expected him to, like _she_ did. He kept on walking.

It was late. Late enough that normal teenagers should have already been home, sleeping in their beds, mindful of the fact the weekend was over and school would start early the next morning. Late enough that parents would be asking questions if their child didn't show up soon, probably.

When he noticed she wasn't next to him anymore, he stopped and turned around, a question on his face.

"Don't you live here?" she asked with a frown, pointing at the lit-up upper floor. She had assumed. He had never brought her to his house since they had started hanging out and she had never _asked_ where he lived precisely but she had vague memories of hearing him talk about living over the bakery from kindergarten…

"We used to." he said, understanding dawning on his face. "We moved after my dad franchised the bakery. My mom wanted a house. It's not too far from Madge's actually." Her frown deepened and she looked up again at the light that was still clearly spilling through the bakery's upper floor windows. Peeta sighed. "That's probably my dad. They converted the apartment into an office. He usually comes home late. Or not at all."

"Oh." She didn't know what else to say.

Peeta shrugged and buried his hands in the pockets of his jacket. He opened his mouth and, for a second, she thought he was going to make a joke to lighten the mood but he licked his lips instead, avoiding her gaze. "We could do another loop."

"Sure." She readily accepted the suggestion, already mapping the quickest path that would take them closer to the wealthy suburb where the mayor and his family lived.

She wasn't that eager to go home either and she could think of worse ways to waste time than walk around with Peeta.

Truth be told, she didn't miss the trailer park. It hadn't taken long for her to feel at home in Haymitch's house. The problem was that she sometimes felt a little… _trapped_. She wasn't used to have to answer to a higher authority, she wasn't used to have to tell someone she was going out or that she was safely back in, she wasn't used to having someone care about her wellbeing to the point it was sometimes suffocating.

Sure, Haymitch had more or less already stepped into that role when he had become her Watcher but he had been acting weird since they had moved in. His newfound obsession that Peeta shouldn't _ever_ go upstairs with her without Prim to act as chaperone was only the tip of the iceberg. He also insisted they needed to eat vegetables at least twice a week and that they shouldn't drink too much soda even though he was the one doing the grocery shopping in the first place so he could simply _stop_ buying soda if their sugar consumption bothered him that much.

Prim had joked that it almost felt as if he had skimmed through a parenting book and was trying to implement everything at once. They had laughed for ten minutes straight at the thought of Haymitch secretly hiding a _Parenting Teenagers for Dummies_ book under his bed.

It was very funny to laugh about it at night with her sister, it was a little less funny when he insisted on asking questions nobody had bothered asking her in _years_. Were parents _that_ troublesome when they weren't comatose on their bed all the time or was Haymitch trying too hard?

"What did you tell your parents?" she asked, following her inner train of thought, and when Peeta looked at her, clearly puzzled, she waved her hand in the air. "About the concussion. They must have asked you how it happened…" All the more so after the car accident that hadn't been so long ago… "You never told me."

Peeta had showed up at school one morning, two days after the mad dash to the hospital, and had acted as if everything was perfectly normal, insisting he felt better and was alright to go back to classes. Since Effie had still been in a coma of sorts, neither Katniss nor Haymitch had looked at that too closely.

"They didn't ask." Peeta answered after a moment.

"They didn't ask?" she repeated, surprised. Even _her mother_ would have asked if she had been called by the hospital because Katniss had managed to get concussed…

Peeta was silent for so long she thought it would be the end of the conversation.

The only sound was the echo of their footsteps on the pavement. The streets were deserted. Not a passerby, a vampire or even a stray cat wandering by. Katniss' grey eyes kept darting around anyway, studying her surroundings by reflex, trying to hone her Slayer senses like Haymitch insisted she ought to do.

They were nearing the nicer part of town and the houses reflected that. The lawns were becoming larger and greener, the fences were straight and all looked brand new…

"My dad thought he knew how it happened and I didn't tell him he was wrong." he said at last. "My mom doesn't care."

Katniss bundled the napkins that had held her waffle in a big ball and forced it in her pocket until she could find a trash can to toss them in. The waters felt treacherous and she wasn't certain if she should push or not. She wasn't the most attentive person but even she had noticed Peeta was reluctant to talk about his family, almost as reluctant as _she_ was.

And she couldn't stop thinking about the burn scars on his arms, couldn't stop drawing connections, couldn't stop replaying his ridiculous fear that he would somehow end up physically hurting someone he cared about…

"What does your dad think happened?" Her voice sounded careful to her own ears, almost _wary_. Peeta's face closed up like it rarely did. He slouched a little, burying his hands deeper in his pockets, staring at his feet… Katniss felt bad for butting her head in where it didn't belong. She understood wanting to keep some things private, she truly did. "Never mind. You don't have to…"

"It's not my first concussion." he cut her off in a soft voice. "I think it must be my fourth one." She wasn't sure what to answer to that so she remained silent. He gave a strange bitter snort that didn't suit him at all. "Dad got me a new video game this time."

She felt cold. As if someone had poured a bucket of icy water over her head. Her stomach churned and, for a second, she couldn't breathe, exactly like at the worst of the Lachnoc demon's thrall.

"Your dad hurt you before?" She whispered it because she couldn't say it aloud properly. It was too difficult to imagine. Mr Mellark looked so nice… He always had a nice word for her when they crossed paths in the street, always had a twinkle in his eyes… She had always thought he looked sweet and funny with his big mustache, even when she was still a child…

"That's what everyone always thinks, right?" he replied with that same bitterness. "That it's the father. It's always the father on TV. You know why? Because mothers aren't supposed to be able to hurt their kids. Humans like to think it's against nature but there are plenty of animal mothers who eat their babies if they think they're deficient."

Realization hit her straight in the plexus.

His mother… His mother was a witch. And not the _Effie_ kind of witch. A real mean-spirited greedy person who would have cut her own hand rather than help anyone in need.

And his mother, apparently, was also the kind of woman who hurt her son.

Katniss' sight turned red.

The thought that _anyone_ could willingly hurt someone as sweet as Peeta… Never mind that but the fact that _anyone_ would willingly hurt someone _she_ considered _family_ … Her hands closed into fists.

"It's pathetic, right?" Peeta laughed but it was self-deprecating and full of misplaced shame. "I mean… I'm taller and everything. She…"

"It's not your fault." she interrupted him, a frown on her face. She stopped walking, expecting him to do the same, but he kept going, not even glancing back at her. He kept going and she had to jog to catch up. When she did, she grabbed his arm, _tugged_ … He stopped then but she thought it had more to do with Slayer strength than any real intent on his part. "It's _not_ your fault." she said again. "You know that. _Tell_ _me_ you know that."

It took a really, really long time for Peeta to look up from his shoes and he didn't meet her eyes very long, barely a fraction of a second, just long enough for her to realize he _didn't_ know that, that he thought something was wrong with him for his mother to hate him so much.

"Please, don't pity me." he murmured, the pain in his voice almost too much to be borne.

She opened and closed her mouth several times, her words betraying her like always when she needed them most.

In the end, she let her hand slide from his elbow to his wrist and, after a moment of hesitation, to his fingers. They were difficult to grab because they were still buried deep in his pocket.

"Don't be stupid." she scoffed. She knew she was too harsh but she didn't know how else to express this.

His blue eyes met hers again, a little longer this time. He made a visible effort to swallow and then force a smile on his lips. "It doesn't matter anyway."

" _Of course_ , it matters." she retorted, squeezing his fingers. It was a tight fit in his pocket and her wrist was bent at an odd angle and it hurt but she didn't take her hand away just yet. "Is that why you were so scared of…"

"I don't want to be like her." He turned away from her, walked a few steps further along the next white picket fence…

His fingers slipped through hers but she wasn't sure how to hold him back.

Usually, he was the one reaching out for her.

"I don't _ever_ want to be like her." he spat.

"You're not." she promised. His back was still turned to her and she didn't know what to do so she stopped thinking and followed her instinct. She crossed the short distance between them and tossed her arms around him, hugging him tight from behind. His breath itched and his fingers coiled around her forearms. She tightened her awkward embrace, hoping she wasn't going to accidentally smother him to death. "You're not like her. You could _never_ be like her. You're the best person I know."

His laughter, this time, was a little more genuine, a little more _Peeta_.

"Are you kidding me?" he asked, sounding disbelieving. "You hang out with _heroes_. You remember Haymitch, right? And Effie?"

But Haymitch was like her, tainted and cynical, unable to look at life without waiting for the other shoe to drop. And Effie… Effie had her shadows under all the cheerfulness, if anything that Lachnoc demon had brought them to light.

Peeta… Peeta was _good_. She knew it in every fiber of her being.

"It's different." she argued. Peeta was warm and it reminded her of falling asleep next to him. Realizing she was still holding him, she slowly let go and stepped back, leaving him enough space to turn around. Ill-at-ease, she fingered her braid. It was her turn to avert her eyes. "We should go. It's late and I don't want to fall asleep in Math again."

"Right." Peeta said, licking his lips. He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "My house is just around the corner. You can leave me here, don't worry."

Her brows furrowed and she looked straight at him. "You're not going back there. You're coming home with me."

He seemed at a loss for words for a moment and then he shook his head. "Katniss.."

"You're _not_ going back." she insisted. "You can have the other guestroom, Prim and I prefer to share anyway."

"Katniss." he repeated, more firmly.

"Haymitch won't mind." She scowled. "Don't even try telling me you think he'll mind."

"Well, to be fair, he seems to mind me being alone with you a bit these days." he joked before shaking his head again. "Katniss, it's fine. I can take care of myself."

"Obviously, you _can't_." she snapped.

Something flashed on his face. Something that looked a lot like _humiliation_. It was gone before she could tell with any certainty.

"Goodnight, Katniss." he said firmly, turning back to head in the direction he had pointed at.

She swiftly sidestepped him and blocked his path, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Tell me you're not serious. Why would you go back there?"

"It's my family." He shrugged. "It's where I live."

"Your mother hurts you and your dad doesn't stop her." she retorted. "That's a _shitty_ family."

"It's still family." he insisted, lifting his arms and dropping them back down.

"I'm not letting you go back there." she snapped. She wasn't letting anyone she cared about knowingly walk into a potentially dangerous situation. The world was dangerous enough without adding abusive mothers to the mix.

For a second, she thought he was going to get angry but she should have known better. Getting angry wasn't Peeta's way. He sighed. "Katniss… I don't need you to protect me. I'm fine."

"I'm _supposed_ to protect you." she argued. "I'm the _Slayer_. I'm…"

"My mom isn't a vampire or a demon." he cut her off. "And I can handle it."

Could he, though? There were scars and bruises on his body that tended to prove otherwise. She wanted to bring him back to Haymitch's house. She _desperately_ wanted to bring him back to Haymitch's house where he would be _safe_.

"It doesn't make it right." she hissed. "She doesn't get to hurt you or…"

"Katniss." he interrupted again. "You…"

"Not that this whole lover spat isn't entertaining but I have to say I expected better from a Slayer."

Both Katniss and Peeta startled and turned around, each reaching for their respective weapons at the same time. In the second it took her to spot the vampire – the very _powerful_ vampire – she realized that they wouldn't go very far with their stakes and her bow.

Her bow, particularly, would be useless because the vampire was wearing an honest-to-god golden armor, the kind she had only seen on TV. He was dressed like a gladiator – and if _that_ didn't spell Career to her, nothing would have – and there was a laurel crown on top of his blond curls. The resemblance to Cashmere was so keen that she knew it was Gloss, her brother.

She didn't know how she had failed to notice him before because the tingles at the base of her nape were _strong_ now. And she had zero doubt the vampire was old and so much more powerful than any she had faced before.

"Peeta, run!" she ordered, shifting to a fighting stance.

Peeta, not surprisingly, stood his ground, clutching his stake tighter.

"Someone played too much _Assassin's Creed_ …" he mocked.

Gloss's pale blue eyes passed over the boy and clearly dismissed him, his attention was all for Katniss. "So you're the one who killed my sister."

"And I'll kill _you_ too." she retorted, all bravado. Her only hope was that she could slow him down long enough that Peeta could get to his house – _assuming_ Peeta would even be sensible enough to _leave_.

"I don't think so." Gloss snorted, obviously not worried about that threat. "Actually, I came to tell you to enjoy yourself while you can, Slayer, because the Reaping is coming and, when it does, the Hellmouth will taste your blood."

A chill ran down Katniss' spine.

"Whatever you're up to, I'll stop you." she vowed.

Gloss's laugh was like broken glass.

"No, you won't." The vampire's smile was chilling. "Our master will rise. And you will fall. Mark my words, Slayer."

And just like that, as if he wasn't worried at all about her attacking him, he turned around and strolled down the street.

Her heart beating fast in her chest, she only hesitated for one second before taking off after him. _Trying to_ , at least.

" _Don't_." Peeta begged, grabbing her arm. She turned her head to him, feeling betrayed and… "You don't have the right weapons." he insisted before she could try to argue. "The arrows and the stakes won't go through that armor…"

And he was right.

When she glanced back at the end of the street, Gloss had vanished anyway.

* * *

 _And this concludes this episode. DUM DUM DUUUUUM. Dramatic entrance of our play's villain. Also some overdue everlark. Next episode will start on the 25th! (I know it's a long time but there's hayffie week next week and i'd like a couple of week end free to get some advance on this story). Consider this the mid season two weeks hiatus ;)_

 _Did you enjoy this chapter? Will Katniss tell Haymitch about Peeta? Will the world end before anyone rescues our baker boy? Will that bakery burn to the grouuuund? Who will hug Peeta first? What disaster awaits next episode? Let me know all your thoughts!_


	41. E6: The Inner Monster (1)

_And we're baaaaaack with episode 6. Yes, everlark fans, this episode should satisfy your cravings. I hope._

* * *

 **The Inner Monster**

* * *

 **1.**

* * *

Haymitch leaned against the Art classroom doorframe, angling his body toward the corridor so he didn't block the students' path as they rushed out of the room. Effie was too busy scolding a teenage boy to notice his presence and he couldn't help but smirk when he understood just _why_ the boy was getting lectured.

" _Truly_ , I expected better of you." She clucked her tongue. "You have some talent. How _childish_ of you to waste it doodling breasts and vaginas on the table. If you, _at_ _least_ , made it artistic. But no. Simple _ridiculous_ childish doodles designed to make your friends laugh. I am _disappointed_ in you and I expect you to come back after class and clean it up." The boy looked down, properly chastised, and she waved an impatient hand, the decorative rhinestone on her nails briefly catching the light. "Run along, now. And do not let me catch you drawing those obscene things again or I will have _no_ choice but to direct you to Principal Heavensbee."

She didn't turn around when the boy scampered away, she started gathering what looked like test papers. What was there to test about in Art was anyone's guess but Haymitch didn't claim to be an expert.

He slowly closed the door once the student was gone, relieved to cut the unbearable noises of chatter and slamming lockers doors that came from the corridors. The periods between classes were always the noisiest and the older he got the less he enjoyed the sound of football players screaming to each other in the hallways.

"You know… You can't blame a boy for thinking about sex when he's got to look at you for a whole hour…" he joked.

He had hoped to catch her unaware but she must have known he was there all along because she didn't startle, not even a little. She kept on gathering her papers, barely tossing him a glance over her shoulder.

"Confusing me with a succubus again, are we?" she teased.

"Told you once… If you didn't look so much like one…" he mocked, sitting down on the edge of her desk and crossing his arms in front of his chest.

She was wearing faded pink velvet shorts with a thin purple belt that showed off her endless legs and a white woolen sweater that hugged her figure. The long gold necklace that dangled between her breasts wasn't exactly discouraging people to _look._

She looked perfectly _tempting_ and if they hadn't been at school…

"Not everyone is as obsessed with my body as you are, Haymitch." she retorted, strutting closer to the desk. She stopped right in front of him, closer than she probably should have to maintain the _professional_ behavior she had made clear she expected of him on school grounds, and leaned in to place the stack of papers behind him despite the large amount of space available. "To what do I owe this visit?"

Her perfume was enticing and, despite the fact they had had sex _just_ the previous night, he felt his body react to her closeness.

 _Are we still casual?_ she had asked as they laid side by side on the floor of her gym, the remnant of the cloaking spell still in the air.

His stomach clenched with fear and, for a second, desire was supplanted by the paralyzing terror that she would soon join the ghosts he carried with him. He couldn't see them anymore. He couldn't see them but they were too easy to imagine, too easy to picture, too easy to remember…

He resisted the urge to caress her cheek, steal a kiss to steady his nerves maybe… It wasn't her responsibility to steady his nerves. It wasn't her responsibility to comfort or reassure him.

 _Are we still casual?_

He cared too much for her already and he suspected she cared too much for him. Casual was all well and good but the thing between them felt anything but that. It felt big. And dangerous. And he was too aware that he was cursed, in effect if not in practice, and that anyone he allowed close ended up dead, particularly women.

"Katniss met Gloss last night." he said.

The mood immediately shifted.

From playful, _seducing,_ her expression became shocked and then worried. "Is she…"

"She's alright. There wasn't even a fight." he reassured her and then shrugged. "Tried to intimidate her, more like."

"Good." she breathed out, stepping back a little so they weren't so much in each other's space. "Well…" She winced and nervously played with her golden necklace. "Not _good_ but…"

"Could have been worse." he commented.

"Yes." she admitted, licking her lips. They were painted a dark red and he tried not to think of blood, tried not to picture everything that could go wrong and leave her bleeding out…

The Lachnoc demon might have been dead but it was not so easy to shake off the fear he had woken up.

"I don't think she can take him, sweetheart." he said slowly, letting his eyes wander to the windows and the naked trees outside. "Cashmere was a fluke. She was lucky. She's good but she's not there yet. And if _the three of them_ are there…"

"Train her harder." Effie immediately advised. "I will help."

His gaze darted back to her, _studied_ her. It was her first day back at school since her stay in the hospital and she didn't look one hundred percent recovered yet. There were dark bags under her eyes despite the make-up, she looked pale and frail…

He sighed. "We all need to up our game. You and I included. You can't rely only on your magic."

She disliked physical fighting, he knew that. Given the choice, she would always rely on her powers or, if pressed, grab a crossbow. It was wise, probably. She might have been a Potential but she was still human and humans weren't supposed to go head to head with demons and vampires. Nevertheless, there was only so much you could do at a distance and, more often than not in Haymitch's experience, direct engagement was needed.

Her mouth twitched into something that wasn't quite a pout but that was close. "I know."

He nodded. "He mentioned something… A reaping. Or _the_ Reaping with a capital R for all I know. I know I've heard something about it before but I can't remember and I couldn't find any trace of it last night. Rings a bell?"

She slowly shook her head, a thinking frown on her face. "Not right now… I will start looking."

"Call the Council." he ordered. "They need to be kept in the loop." As much as he didn't like to involve Coin and the rest of them, if they failed to stop whatever the Careers were up to and Snow rose… They needed to know. And to _be_ _prepared_. "Maybe they can help with this Reaping thing."

"Of course." she hummed. "I have other contacts… I will ask around."

"Alright." He uncrossed his arms, studied her for a moment and then looked down. "You remember the warlock who helped Maysilee trap Snow?"

She frowned. "We've never met but I heard of him. _Obviously_."

"I'm trying to get in touch." He made a face. "Don't take it the wrong way. I know we've got you for magic but…"

"Oh, no, no! I _completely_ understand." she cut him off, lifting both hands with a smile that might or might not have been a little fake. "I am only an _amateur_ , he is the real deal."

He rolled his eyes. "Don't call yourself an amateur." He looked her up and down and pushed himself back to his feet, not so accidentally placing himself back in her space. "Might kill two birds with one stone too. He might know how to help you unlock your power."

"There is no power to unlock." she immediately retorted, sounding frightened. "The Lachnoc demon…"

"Couldn't _create_ magic." he interrupted. "We've been over this." Her eyes avoided his and it was her turn to hug herself. She looked so upset that he sighed and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Don't be scared, sweetheart. It's not a bad thing."

"You are _wrong_." she muttered. "I am not powerful. I am _average_. _Less_ than average."

He squeezed her shoulder. "Well, he can tell us for sure." She looked up at him, lost and frightened like she had been when the demon had tempted her with the Hellmouth powers. He let his hand trail up her neck and to her cheek, retracing her cheekbone with his thumb. "Don't be scared."

"Easy for you to say." she whispered.

" _Yeah_." He snorted, leaning in. "It is." He brushed his lips against hers once before kissing her more firmly. "I ain't scared of you, sweetheart." He pressed another kiss against her lips and smirked. "Well… Maybe I'm scared of your cooking…"

She whacked his arm, pursing her lips in irritation. She also looked a little less dazed. "I trust we are having an emergency meeting after school?"

Brought back to the direness of the situation, he let go of her waist not quite sure when he had even put his hands there. "Yeah. Research and training."

"Go on patrol with Katniss tonight." she instructed. "I will keep researching."

"Sounds like a plan." he accepted. "Got to go. Kids are gonna be waiting."

She frowned and glanced at the clock on the wall. "Are you saying you should be _in class_ right now?"

He smirked at how outraged she sounded. "Left an assignment on the board. Hopefully they won't burn the school down."

She rolled her eyes, knowing as he did the kids were probably doing _anything_ but what he had told them to do, and pushed him toward the door. "Go."

"So eager to get rid of me." he mocked.

"You are insufferable." she declared. " _Irresponsible_. Immature. You could have very well _texted_ me, Haymitch. Abandoning your classroom! Truly!"

He let her push him out, chuckling to himself at how ridiculously predictable she was.

He _could_ have texted her, he mused on his way back to his own classroom, but he had wanted to see her, to _touch_ her.

And wasn't that a problem in itself… Less serious than the possibility of their imminent death, sure, but serious enough in its own right.

°O°O°O°O°

"And he was wearing armor?" Madge asked hesitantly "Like… a gladiator?"

Katniss fingered what was left of her sandwich, too nervous to really eat but also remembering too vividly how it felt to starve to just discard it.

She wasn't sure telling Madge about the Careers had been a good idea but she hadn't spotted Peeta anywhere in the cafeteria, the other girl had shyly waved her to their usual table and had immediately picked up on her tension. Besides Madge already knew so where was the wrong in keeping her appraised? Her Watchers would have had something to say about it for certain but…

"Peeta said he went full _Assassin's Creed_ mode." She made a face. "Whatever _that_ means."

Madge looked just as perplexed as she did and Katniss felt a tinge of satisfaction at not being the only clueless one for once. Peeta loved to confuse her with pop culture references and then make fun of her for not understanding. Usually, she found it relatively funny, right then she was a little angry with Peeta and, as a consequence, she just found it annoying.

"And this Reaping thing, you don't have any clue what it is?" Madge insisted.

Katniss watched two football players getting rough with each other on the other side of the cafeteria, apparently considering shoving each other a manly demonstration of affection _._

"None." she confirmed, shaking her head. "Haymitch's in a state though. He said we're going to up the training… Problem is, we can't fight and research at the same time so we're wasting time." She sighed. "Peeta's training with me because he insists on coming on patrol, Haymitch is training me, Prim isn't allowed near books with anything gorish in them so she can't help much and Effie… Actually Effie's probably gonna handle the research but I know Haymitch wants her to freshen up on her hand to hand combat too so…"

Her eyes tracked one of the football's player aggressive gait as he paraded around a table full of giggling cheerleaders. Not because she cared but because the boy had a tendency to put hands where girls didn't want them and she wouldn't have felt guilty about breaking his wrist.

"What about Gale?" Madge asked tentatively. "Are you still fighting?"

She flinched at the sound of his name.

 _Katniss, I lov…_

Should she have let him finish his declaration? Did she want him to?

She didn't think so. Everything was already so complicated and now that he had said it, started to say it, it was even worse. A part of her wanted to hear it because a part of her had liked being kissed by him on the street that night, all those weeks earlier. But that part of her belonged to the Katniss from the past, the one who had followed him with bleary eyes and had trusted him to help her take care of her family. She wasn't that Katniss any longer. She was the Slayer. And it was obvious Gale would never accept that part of her, would never trust that she could handle herself…

"I will call him if I need him but we're not… We're not in a good place right now." she mumbled, stuffing a big piece of sandwich in her mouth just so Madge had no choice but to change the subject.

The other girl was watching her, a little too knowing. Suddenly she ducked her head, staring at her hands. "I could come help. With research. If you think it would be helpful…"

She frowned but forced herself to swallow what she had in her mouth, not quite opposed to the idea. But Madge had known for a while now and she had never offered to get involved before. "You don't have to."

"If it's the end of the world, I'm pretty sure everyone should chip in." Madge joked with nervous giggles but faced with Katniss' serious expression she shrugged and took a nervous sip of her water bottle. "I've been reading the journal about my aunt again and again. Mostly, I know it by heart by now…" Her graceful fingers tugged the paper ring around the bottle until it tore. "I could never fight like her… Or like you. I don't even want to try, it's not really… It's not my thing. But I can't read about Maysilee, I can't listen to your stories and not…" She stopped babbling, took a deep breath and flashed her a shaky smile. "I'd like to help. I can… I can help with research. I will text my mom we're partners on a Biology project and I have to go to your place after school."

All help was good to get, Katniss figured, and they could use another pair of eyes. "Alright with me if you're sure. We can drop you off when we go on patrol so your mother doesn't have to worry about you being out after dark."

Madge's smile became easier, less shy. "Good."

The thought that she should have cleared it with Haymitch shot through her mind but she forgot all about it when she finally spotted Peeta's blond curls on the cafeteria's threshold. Their eyes met over the crowded room and, for the length of a heartbeat, the world stopped with everything that hung unsaid between them, then he turned on his heels and fled the room.

He actually _fled_ the room.

"Sorry, I need to go." Katniss growled, grabbing her bag and taking off.

Unfazed by her rude behavior, Madge waved her off. "See you in class!"

Peeta wasn't running but he certainly was walking fast and it was several minutes before she managed to corner him in the small courtyard.

"So what? You're going to avoid me forever now?" she tossed at his retreating back, annoyed.

He stopped, squared his shoulders and finally turned around, looking both sheepish and embarrassed. At least, he didn't have the guts to pretend he hadn't been avoiding her all day.

"Not _forever."_ he sighed, walking back on his steps to stand closer to her.

There was a strange light noise that made her look up and she spotted dozen of chimes hanging from a leafless tree not too far away.

"It was an Art project." Peeta answered her unspoken question. "Heavensbee let Effie hung them here."

She dismissed the already resolved mystery.

"You need to talk to Haymitch." she said, point blank.

She had almost done it herself.

When she had come home the previous night and had told her Watcher about Gloss and when, after she was done, he had asked ' _That's all? Nothing else?'_ , she had almost spilled everything because… She couldn't let Peeta remain in an abusive situation. She _couldn't_. Maybe he didn't realize just how dangerous it was or he just… _couldn't see_ it but _she_ could and she wouldn't allow it to stand and she _would_ have already gone over to the bakery and kicked his mother's ass if she hadn't been certain he would never talk to her again if she did just that.

The fear made her skin prickle, tightened her chest… The sensations were so similar to what the fear demon had triggered that she had been forced to stop herself from asking Haymitch several times if he was sure the demon had been killed.

She would _not_ lose any more family and that included Peeta.

Peeta's face closed off immediately. "Can you let this go?"

Her eyes widened in surprise and she almost laughed at the absurdity of his request. But he seemed to wait for an actual answer and so she scowled. "No. _No_ , I'm not letting this go. You tell Haymitch or I'm doing it but either way you're not going back to that house."

Peeta sneered and it was an ugly thing.

She had never seen him sneer before or get angry, not like that at least and never at her.

"I should never have told you." he spat. "I thought I could _trust_ you."

Suddenly, she was angry too. She had never asked to be saddled with anyone else's problems, she had enough of her own. But Peeta was hers, just like Prim, Haymitch, Effie and Gale were hers and, as a consequence, he was her responsibility.

And she _wouldn't_ fail him.

"Yeah, well, you told me and now I can't unknow it." she retorted. "So let me help you or…"

"Or what?" he cut her off. "You will force it on me?" He scoffed. "Can we stop pretending like you care for a minute? I'm only the stand-in for Gale and everyone knows it. Once you've decided you…"

"What the hell are you talking about?" she interrupted, her voice rising. In her anger, she took a step closer, stood straighter, must have looked far too dangerous because he _flinched_.

It made her feel like _shit_.

A mix of rage and shame flashed on his face and he looked properly humiliated because he knew she had seen his instinctive reaction.

Her anger deflated at once. "Peeta…"

"I'll see you later." he mumbled, hands buried in his pockets.

He turned away and left and she let him go because she didn't know what else to say. She wasn't skilled with words. She wasn't good at comforting people.

The urge to run to Haymitch's classroom and tell him everything was almost overpowering but…

Peeta would hate her and never trust her again if she did that and she knew it.

She would have to wait. Give him a few hours to cool down and then try talking him into telling her Watcher again. Try to…

 _Can we stop pretending like you care for a minute?_

That was unfair. She _did_ care. She had told him she cared. Hell, that night she had crawled into his bed, she had told him she… She had said…

She rubbed her eyes and slowly made her way back inside.

She knew her priorities should be the Reaping, the Careers and Snow but…

She had never been good at putting the collective good above the people she loved.

* * *

 _Is Madge best friend material or what? What did you think of this chapter? Hayffie is doing okay... Everlark is obviously noot... Business as usual? XD Let me know your thoughts!_


	42. E6: The Inner Monster (2)

2

* * *

Haymitch's attention was divided between the book he was skimming through – angled away from the kid sitting at his side so she wouldn't see the gorish illustrations – and Prim's math homework. The girl was smart and self-reliant, she barely needed any help but she asked a question from time to time and he tried to explain to the best of his memories. They were alone in the library and it was quiet and strangely pleasant even though if you had told Haymitch a month earlier than he would end up playing father figure to a twelve year-old, he would have run away so fast he would be halfway across China by then.

He could hear the floorboards crick somewhere in the house where Effie was no doubt pacing as she tried to get through to the Council. He had heard the vague echo of her voice twice already and he had the feeling it wasn't going well.

He glanced at the clock one more time and then went back to reading, hoping for a mention of a Reaping, whatever it was.

Finally, the front door opened and he straightened, the tense knot between his shoulder blades loosening.

"You're late!" he barked. The kids should have been there half an hour earlier and he had regretted not waiting for them on the parking lot instead of going straight home on his bike. He had expected them five to ten minutes after him not thirty minutes.

"Yeah, well…" Katniss' voice snapped back from the corridor and at her tone alone he knew she was in one of her moods. "Peeta skipped Biology and we couldn't find him anywhere so we didn't have a ride."

The use of that _we_ made him frown with foreboding and he stared at the door, waiting for them – whoever _they_ were to appear – fervently hoping she hadn't been stupid enough to bring Hawthorne back so soon. Prim looked up too, clearly more interested by this than by her homework.

Katniss strode into the room without even a glance for him, going straight to ruffle Prim's hair. "How was school, little duck?"

He didn't hear the kid's answer because a blond girl had tentatively paused on the threshold, looking around with the same awe everyone always showed when first seeing the old-fashioned library.

For a second, Haymitch's breath remained stuck in his throat and he couldn't breathe. _It's a ghost again_ , he thought and then he remembered and he caught the differences – the shape of her chin, the angle of her nose…

Not Maysilee.

Not Maysilee.

 _Not_ _Maysilee_ , he told himself over and over again firmly, ears ringing.

"Are you listening?" Katniss grumbled, shaking his shoulder and breaking through the strange spell that had fallen on him.

He stopped staring at the poor girl, cleared his throat, rubbed his eyes. "What?"

He sounded gruff and annoyed, he knew, but that was the best he could do under the circumstances.

He had become an expert at avoiding that kid. He glimpsed her in the corridors sometimes, saw her crossing the courtyard with Katniss, drove by her on his bike in the streets near Peeta's place… He had learned to ignore her like he ignored the ghosts he sometimes dreamed about. It was the only way to cope. The only way to…

"I want to help with the researching." Madge said, nervous and a little shy. "If it's alright with you, Mr Abernathy."

It wasn't like anyone had asked him if it was alright _before_ bringing her to the house, he almost retorted. He did glare at Katniss because she was putting him in a difficult position, like always. First off, he didn't like the thought of more teenagers involved. Second, he liked the thought of having to deal with Madge _in this house_ even less – his first Slayer's memory was _everywhere_ in this house. Third, he couldn't even send her away because Maysilee would have kicked his ass all the way to Sunday for treating her niece badly when she wanted to help and he could still see her ghost if he closed his eyes, could still…

"Sure." he forced himself to say, forced himself to smile even though it probably looked more like a cringe. "Grab a book."

Madge was watching him with a little too much understanding. "Are you sure? It's okay if… Some days, my mom can't look at me either."

That sounded wrong and it was clearly a sore point for the girl.

He took a deep breath, told his brain to think rational thoughts. She wasn't Maysilee reincarnated. She was just an innocent girl who happened to look a lot like her dead aunt, like his dead Slayer. It was painful for him to be in her presence but no more painful than it was to be back in the Seam or to live in a house he had hoped to never see again.

"Sit down, sweetheart." he insisted, a little less gruff.

She flashed him a quick shy smile that somehow reminded him more of Prim than of Maysilee. It wasn't enough to make him relax again but it was a start.

He waited until she had settled down and grabbed one of the books to frown at Katniss. The girl was redoing her ponytail, sitting cross-legged on a chair, a book already open on the table in front of her. She was scowling at the ancient volume. Research wasn't her favorite hobby.

"Where's the boy, then?" he asked.

It wasn't like Peeta not to show up when they needed all hands on deck.

"He had to take a shift at the bakery and cannot join us today." Effie announced, reentering the room. "He just texted me." She took stock of who was sitting there and hid her surprise a lot better than Haymitch had done. "Hello, Madge dear."

The hand that brushed against his shoulder on the way to her seat wasn't an accident, Haymitch decided and he felt both touched and annoyed by the fact she felt she ought to offer comfort.

"You're kidding me?" Katniss scoffed.

Effie froze for a second and then frowned at her, clearly puzzled. "I am afraid not. Why?"

"Did you have a fight with Peeta?" Prim asked, not quite pleased by that prospect.

Katniss' grey eyes found his and Haymitch held her stare long enough to guess she was burning to tell him something, something huge and important. And he had a hutch what it was.

"If you know something, sweetheart, you should _say_." he offered slowly, carefully. "'Cause until Effie and I _are told_ something _,_ legally we can't do _shit_."

The witch never slouched but, somehow, she managed to sit even straighter. "Katniss, darling, you can tell us _anything_."

In the corner of his eye, he saw Prim and Madge exchange a puzzled but worried look. Tension built up in the room like a cloud and he was certain, _so certain_ she would come clean… He was sure Effie was ready to bolt and rush to the bakery to retrieve the boy. He was certainly ready to place a call to Heavensbee as soon as she had said the word – he had already done the legwork on that front, reporting his suspicions even though he knew that without any proof there was nothing the principal could do – so the man could call whoever needed to be called.

However, in the end, Katniss averted her gaze and glared at the open book.

"I don't know anything." she muttered.

She was the worst liar he had ever met.

" _Katniss_." he insisted.

"Are we doing research or what?" she shot back, tossing him an angry look.

He desisted only because he glimpsed the shine of tears in her eyes.

He clenched his jaw but turned to Effie who looked thundering. He realized that, maybe, the air wasn't so thick because of the tension and he reached for her hand, covering it just long enough that she blinked and let out a deep breath. There was a barely audible _pop_ and they all could breathe more easily again.

He hoped he was the only one to catch the flash of panic on her face.

"What did they say?" he asked, taking his hand back and aiming for neutral since her magic was back under control.

"Caesar is certain he read about a Reaping somewhere but he could not remember where." she announced.

"Like me, then." he groaned.

"He _is_ pretty sure it is a dark ritual though." she amended. "So he urges us to look in that direction. He, Finnick and Mags are also looking."

Mags shouldn't have been doing anything strenuous but he knew better than try to police the old lady. Good luck to Finnick getting her to keep decent hours.

"And?" he pressed when she didn't add anything else. "What did Coin have to say? You talked to her, yeah?"

She clearly hesitated, her gaze sweeping over the three girls sitting at the table staring at her and waiting for her answer. She pursed her lips, discreetly wiggled her fingers…

He caught the pale glow of a golden halo under the table…

' _The rest would be better left discussed between you and me.'_

The words echoed directly in his head and he abruptly recoiled, reacting before he registered it was _her_ _voice_ , almost falling over his chair in the process. He managed to steady himself at the last possible second – and because Prim had reached out to grab the back of his chair.

" _The fuck?!"_ he spat, glaring at the witch.

She winced. "It's a spell I have been working on… I thought it might be _quite_ useful on patrol."

"What are you talking about?" Katniss scowled.

Haymitch ignored her, still furious because of the scare the witch had just given him. "Might be. But maybe a little warning next time?"

Effie pursed her lips harder. "If you insist."

" _What_ are you talking about?" their Slayer repeated, obviously getting fed-up with their antics.

"Never mind." he dismissed. "Leave that book. If it's a ritual, you won't find anything in there anyway, try that one." He checked and passed books around, taking one back from Prim when she eagerly reached for the pile. "Homework." he reminded her, standing up. "I'm gonna get coffee."

"Tea for me, please." Effie hummed.

"Coke." Katniss grumbled.

"Can I have some orange juice?" Prim added with a beaming smile he couldn't say no to.

"What am I?" he scowled. "Your waiter?" He shook his head and jutted his chin at Madge. "Want anything?"

"Oh, a coke is alright. Thank you." she replied, still sounding nervous and shy. Which was on him and his attitude, he supposed.

If only she didn't look so much like Maysilee, he lamented as he made his way to the kitchen.

' _Is it more convenient now?'_ Effie's voice echoed in his head again.

Because he had half-been expecting her to try again, he didn't startle but it was a close thing.

He placed the electric kettle under the tap and filled it up, not quite sure how he was supposed to answer her… He cleared his throat. "How do I…"

' _Just think of me and answer. The spell will do the rest.'_ she supplied.

It asked for some focus and he wasn't sure he would have managed it if he hadn't had _some_ notions of magic.

' _Can you read my thoughts? Are you in my head?'_ he asked, flicking the switch that would turn the electric kettle on. He didn't like the idea of it. He didn't like the idea of anyone poking around his head, not even her whom he trusted.

' _No. It does not work like that.'_ she assured him. ' _Think of it as a magical walkie-talkie. You need to be within range and it is actually power consuming so I will not be able to keep the spell on for long.'_

It wasn't as reassuring as she probably wanted it to be.

' _What did Coin say you don't want to say in front of the kids?'_

He opened the fridge and fixed the girls' drinks, trying not to let himself get distracted by thoughts of Peeta who, by all rights, should have been in the library with the others. He hoped the boy was alright because if anything happened to him… The whole thing was frustrating and, more than once in the last few weeks, he had been forced to stop himself from just storming into the bakery and beat his father up to give him a taste of his own medicine.

' _She wants Katniss to go after the Careers_ now _.'_ Effie said, her tone so cold it sent shivers down Haymitch's spine. Or maybe it was what she was saying. _'I told her you would have objections, she told me that if you were not willing to follow orders from the Council, I should consider myself in charge.'_ She stopped, clearly hesitated and then soldiered on. _'I told her_ I _objected. She said that if I was too soft-hearted to see my assignment through a replacement could be arranged.'_

He bundled his hands into fists and resisted the urge to toss the glasses full of soda and juice at the wall.

Somehow, he had always known they would come to this.

' _So you're gonna order the girl to go to her death, then?'_ he asked bitterly.

Not that he would let her, of course, but…

' _Now, you are being offensive.'_ Her tone was sharp and he couldn't hear it like that but he was pretty sure she had just huffed. _'I told her I would do what she asked. I believe we are going on patrol later anyway, are we not? Well, if she believes we are looking for the Careers so Katniss can take her chances now… A little white lie does not hurt.'_

He felt a surge of gratefulness that _Effie_ got assigned to them and not another mindless Council drone. Watchers with a conscience were harder to find than one might think in an organization that was supposed to be on the side of good.

' _Why does she want her dead?'_ he asked next.

It took almost a whole minute for Effie to answer. He finished fixing their drinks and had given up on waiting, musing that she didn't have a good explanation or that she couldn't sustain the magical connection anymore, when her voice finally echoed in his head a final time.

' _President Coin hates rogue Slayers.'_ she said. _'She also hates everything that challenges her authority. I would say both you and Katniss fall into that last category. Perhaps this is simply politics."_

With that last word, he felt the spell break, the tingles of her magic, now so familiar, faded away.

It was risking _a lot_ for politics.

If Snow rose…

He generously spiked his coffee and carried everything back to the silent library where everyone was reading. Katniss shot him a suspicious glance but he simply lifted his eyebrows in an innocent question and she scoffed and went back to her book.

He waited until he was sure none of the girls would catch it to share a look with Effie.

They certainly had their work cut out for them…

* * *

 _Sooooo politcis are in play... How long can Katniss keep Peeta's secret? Madge is in the place... What do you think?_


	43. E6: The Inner Monster (3)

3

* * *

Effie watched Katniss with her hands on her hips until she was satisfied the girl had found a steady pace.

"What's even the point?" the Slayer complained for the third time, prompting Prim and Madge who were sitting on the basement's stairs – with more books for the teenager and more homework for the child – to muffle their giggles.

Effie tossed the girls a disapproving glance, pursed her lips and regarded Katniss with narrowed eyes. Had _she_ been _that_ difficult? She needed to send flowers to Caesar. Flowers and an apology note.

"Point is you do what we tell you to do." Haymitch grumbled from the corner of the makeshift gym where he was inspecting weapons. The weapons had clearly seen better days and could have done with some serious cleaning in her opinion.

"Find a pace and try to keep it." Effie advised, ignoring him. Katniss glared at her but kept swinging the skip rope, hopping along to an inner rhythm. "It builds endurance. _And_ it is also good for your footwork."

The skip rope had been the part of training she had liked best when she had still been a teenager. Not extremely taxing, not particularly difficult and not as gruesome as chasing vampires in the dead of night in a dusty English cemetery.

"How's _your_ footwork?" Haymitch challenged, standing up with two swords in hands.

Dread and distrust coiled in her stomach. "I _do_ hope you do not expect me to _brawl_."

It was exactly what he was expecting though, she could see it at how serious his face had become.

"What are you gonna do if we end up cornered by the Careers?" he asked.

"Hide until Katniss dispatches them." she deadpanned.

"She can set fire to them." Katniss retorted, more prosaically.

"Well…" she winced, tilting her head to the side. "That was the fear demon increasing my powers…" She doubted she could actually _immolate_ a vampire right then. "I _can_ toss fireballs at them though."

She made one appear in the palm of her hand with a twist of her wrist and extinguished it right away, aware her grasp on her magic was a little shaky right then. The cloaking spell the previous night had asked a lot out of her, she was still not quite recovered from her magical exhaustion and the telepathic spell had drained her a little.

"Sure." Haymitch scowled. "And while you're tossing fireballs at the one ducking in front of you, one of them's gonna sneak behind you and dig their fangs in your pretty neck."

Katniss rolled her eyes, probably at the _pretty_ comment.

Effie's cheeks flushed a little but she jutted her chin in the air, refusing to show she was flustered.

"Haymitch, I _hate_ physical fighting." she hissed.

"I hate your shrill voice. I got used to it." he retorted, tossing the sword in the air in her direction.

His move was precise, it was designed to fall back hilt first, but it was still enough to make the three girls gasp in alarm.

Effie plucked it from the air easily enough, used to Watchers tossing dangerous blades at her. Caesar had not always made sure the hilt would fall first. And he had also made sure she knew how to duck knives and other sharp objects.

"Keep hopping." she instructed Katniss, making the sword twirl once in her hand to get a sense of its balance.

It was a bit too heavy for her, perhaps even an inch or two too long, and, as always, her grip was slack because her nails were digging hard into the heel of her hand. She knew already that she was bound to break a nail or two during that pointless exercise and it annoyed her.

"No magic." Haymitch warned, stepping forward.

"That's not fair." the Slayer grumbled, swinging the skip rope again. "With her magic, she'd flatten you in two seconds."

"Who said life's fair?" he scowled.

Effie discreetly tested the range of movement her outfit afforded her. It was one of Haymitch's rules that they trained in street clothes because that was how they would fight during patrol. Her pink velvet shorts were loose enough not to impede her and the white sweater was form-fitting but would not bother her. The long gold necklace though she quickly took off and tossed to Prim who caught it and slipped it over her own head with delight.

"Keeping the heels?" he mocked.

"I need them for balance." she replied and then she swung the sword because she was all for foreplay but she wanted this over sooner rather than later.

He parried without difficulties and led her on a merry chase. He was obviously holding back, testing her, _tiring_ her…

She _hated_ swordplay.

It didn't mean she was _entirely_ useless at it. She _had_ been trained by a Watcher legend after all.

"Why did it have to be swords?" she sighed after ten minutes of attacks and parries that were mostly textbook. She was wondering when he would break and finally show off like she knew he could.

"Cause of the gladiator armor thing." Haymitch shrugged. "If Gloss' still wearing that, chances are his fighting style's gonna be roman too. You're listening, sweetheart?" He chanced a glance at the girl with the skip rope and Effie seized the opportunity by feigning left to hit right, careful because they weren't using blunt blades. The steel of Haymitch's sword glided against the length of hers in an unbearable screeching noise. He continued as if nothing had happened. "That means broadswords. Spears. We're gonna need to keep range."

"I've got the bow." Katniss commented.

"Lots of good it's gonna do against an armor." Haymitch sneered. Then he looked back at Effie, lifting his eyebrows. "You're warm enough to get serious? Cause I'm falling asleep here."

She clenched her jaw and adjusted her stance. "Do your best, darling."

His best was not on par with _her_ best.

Because he so obviously surpassed her it wasn't even _funny_.

In a matter of seconds, she was outmatched and, although she stubbornly refused to surrender or admit defeat, she could see he was holding back even as he forced her to duck, roll on the floor and dance around him like a will-o-the-wisp.

"Aim higher." he snapped from time to time. "You're trying to _behead_ me."

She wasn't trying to behead him, she was trying to keep her grip on her sword which wasn't easy because her nails impeded her.

As the fight became more urgent and desperate, sweat dripping in her eyes and making her hair stick to her cheeks, she was vaguely aware that the girls had all stopped doing whatever they were doing to watch.

"Peeta's going to be sorry he missed this." Katniss snorted, loud enough to go over the blood rushing in Effie's ears.

It couldn't go on forever though.

She was tiring and Haymitch was getting bored of the lesson.

She wasn't surprised when her sword was flung away, leaving her hand tingling from the flat hit it had just taken, and because she wasn't surprised, she just rolled with it, ducking under his armed arm and reappearing right against his chest.

The move surprised _him_.

She felt a little bad when she grabbed what was between his legs and squeezed just enough to make him freeze. It wasn't in her interest to damage it.

"What the _fuck_ …" he spat.

"Drop the sword." she ordered calmly. He glared at her but there was a spark of _something_ in his eyes… Amusement… Lust… Pride… She wasn't certain. Once the sword had hit the floor, she flashed him a bright smile. "Do you concede?"

The smirk that stretched his lips was slow and did terrible things to her lower regions.

"Do _you_?" he challenged and she felt the prick of something on her neck. It took her a second to realize it was the point of his knife. She squeezed him harder and he pressed just a little more, not enough to break the skin but enough to let her know he could. "You know…" he muttered in a low voice that _hopefully_ didn't carry to the children. "I love when you do this but maybe not with an audience."

She didn't let these words affect her. "It seems we are at a standstill."

"Are we though?" He snorted,

Before she understood what had happened, he had kicked her leg, twisted her arm to the side to free himself while they both fell and she landed with a huff, her breath snuffed by his heavy weight crushing her to the floor… He had been careful to avert the knife but if he hadn't had, she would be dead.

She didn't need him to playfully bite her neck to know she had lost.

She huffed and pushed him off. He rolled to the side easily, laughing a little.

She sat up and turned to the three girls who were watching with expressions ranging from shock to embarrassment. "And _that_ , ladies, is why you should never hesitate to knee a man when you have the opportunity." She tossed Haymitch a glare. He was still lying on his back, his breathing a little heavy but otherwise not particularly sweaty. That was more infuriating than anything else, the fact that he had hardly broken a sweat when she was drenched and disheveled. "Next time, I won't spare you."

The look he gave her was too heavy and full of unsaid things. "Never asked you to." He got back on his feet, picked up the sword and turned to his Slayer. "Ready?"

Effie went to sit on the steps under Madge and Prim, a little vexed, while Katniss took her place in the middle of the room. The girl lacked technique but she had power on her side.

If Effie had Slayer strength…

Prim slide the golden necklace back around her neck from behind and Effie startled a little, not having expected it.

"You were _amazing_." the girl said.

Effie politely protested for modesty sake but it went a long way in soothing her ruffled feathers.

Haymitch was almost a match for Katniss simply because he had decades of fighting under his belt but, in the end, the Slayer's power succeeded where Effie's schemes had failed and she ended up disarming him. He must have challenged her enough though because the girl looked almost happy once he called the end of the training. That, or she enjoyed the violence.

She lost her uplifted mood when came the time to go on patrol though.

"I don't like leaving her alone." Katniss stubbornly insisted, glaring at both Watchers. "Why can't one of you stay?"

Effie looked at Haymitch, willing to let him make the call. She didn't mind staying behind to keep an eye on Prim even if the girl insisted she would be fine. She could keep on researching the Reaping.

"You can take my car." she offered half-heartedly. She didn't like the idea of Katniss and Haymitch going out alone too much in case they _did_ stumble on the Careers. Haymitch could say whatever he wanted, her magic could make the difference as weak as it currently was. It could buy them enough time to escape at the very least.

Given a choice, Haymitch would have taken his bike but since they had to drop Madge off that wasn't a possibility. And he didn't seem keen on leaving _her_ behind either.

"The Village's cloaked…" he said slowly. "And no vampire can get to Prim as long as she stays inside anyway." He made a face. "I want Effie with us out there, sweetheart. It's the smartest choice."

She wasn't sure about that given how easily he had beaten her in the basement.

She wasn't sure why her pride stung so much. She had always known she wasn't a good fighter. Caesar had deplored it often enough – and _insisted_ she didn't apply herself enough but she had always been unwilling to sacrifice her nails or her heels to practical considerations.

Not for the first time though, she was wondering how it would have gone down if she had been Called.

Terribly no doubt.

She was still musing about it half an hour later while they patrolled down the narrow lanes of the graveyard. Katniss was out of sight, scooting ahead with her bow, Haymitch had fallen in steps with her and their pace could only be described as a stroll – which had annoyed the Slayer and was why the girl had insisted on going ahead.

"Stop sulking." he teased. "You didn't do _that_ bad. Average vampire or demon, you could have taken out easy."

 _Average._

She hated that word.

When she remained silent, he bumped her shoulder with his.

She wanted to sound cheerful, to drown him under her usual optimism, but her thoughts were too gloomy and she allowed herself to be truthful for a moment. "I would have been the shortest Slayer in history."

He didn't miss a beat. "You're _really_ short without the heels but I'm pretty sure one of them was a dwarf. That circus girl? When was it… In the sixties? Fifties?"

She tossed him a chiding look but couldn't stop her lips from twitching. "You understand perfectly well what I mean."

He sighed and burrowed in his leather jacket, more annoyed than anything else. "You ain't a Slayer, sweetheart. Doesn't mean you're useless. You're a witch, play to your strengths."

"You spent fifteen minutes lecturing me about how my magic would not be enough to protect me." she snapped.

"Yeah, cause it's stupid to rely only on one thing." He shrugged. "I like knives better. Doesn't mean I can't use a sword or a crossbow. You don't survive by being lazy."

"Still…" she argued.

"Not being a Slayer doesn't mean you ain't special." he grumbled, keeping his gaze straight ahead. She wondered if she imagined the light splotch of colors on his cheeks. "Cause you're _pretty_ special just on your own."

Something swell within her chest and she had the sudden realization that not only was this not casual anymore but that, on her side at least, it was getting serious. Feelings had never been supposed to be part of the equation but…

"You are fairly special too." she whispered back, a lump in her throat.

"Yeah…" he dismissed. "That's my bad boy persona. The bike does it all."

She laughed.

So, obviously, that was when the vampire jumped on them.

Haymitch had his stake out before she could summon a fireball but it didn't matter because there was the hissing sound of a flying arrow and then nothing but a cloud of dust.

"I'm not sure…" Katniss' voice called out to them from the top of a vault a few feet away, dripping with sarcasm. "But I _think_ my Watcher told me I should _focus_ when I'm on patrol."

"What a clever man, he is!" Haymitch shot right back, smirk still on his lips. "Did he also tell you about him playing bait?"

"When did _I_ agree to be bait?" Effie frowned, not quite happy with that.

" _Sure_ , you are." Katniss scoffed and disappeared in the shadows again.

All in all, it was a quiet night.

They got a few more vampires but the Careers remained invisible.

Katniss shot out of the car and across the street to check on her sister as soon as Effie had parked in her driveway. Haymitch was slower in exiting the car.

For a while they stared at the outer wall of her house through the dashboard.

"You're coming in?" he asked eventually but the question didn't sound quite… genuine.

She knew why. She didn't feel like waiting until both girls had gone to bed and even longer to make sure they were asleep, pretending to do research – _actually_ doing research – and then sneak back out once the deed was done for another walk of shame… She could tell him to come by later and he would and he would probably be more enthusiastic about it than she currently was.

But the question seemed to hang between them…

 _Are we still casual?_

The answer seemed so obvious that his insistence that they _were_ was…

"Not tonight." she refused, making sure to keep her tone soft. She didn't want a confrontation right then. Truth be told she was tired and… "Have you heard from your friend?"

The warlock who had helped him and Maysilee to banish Snow to a hell dimension was famous in some circles and she was eager to have a chat with him. She wanted him to tell her Haymitch was wrong or that the whole powerful magic thing had been a fluke, that she was simply… Well… _Average_. When it came to magic, she didn't mind that term.

Ambitious as she was, she could recognize there were fields were it was safer _not_ to excel.

"Not yet." He sighed and silence fell back inside the car. It was several minutes before he broke it. "It was weird having Madge here. Too much like…"

Too much like seeing Maysilee's ghost.

She reached for his hand and squeezed. He squeezed back and then reached for the flask in his inner pocket. He took two sips and then offered it to her. She declined with a brief shake of her head.

"If President Coin reassigns me I will have no choice but to leave." she declared.

"You always have a choice." he countered. "You could stay."

She consciously ignored the fact he had spent the last week trying to convince her she would be safer back in England.

"And what?" she scoffed. "Give up my career as a Watcher? What would I do? _Teach Arts_?"

"Freelance demon hunter ain't so bad." He shrugged. "Won't get rich but… Plenty of Potentials end up that way."

"In case you have not noticed, I am not the kind of person who enjoys backpacking alone all over the country." she snapped. She didn't mind being sent on assignments all over the world but she preferred to travel in style and to stay in five stars hotels.

"Didn't say you'd have to do it _alone_ …" he remarked and then made a face. "Besides… It doesn't have to be _backpacking_. Chaff and I have been talking about opening a business before I got called back in to play Watcher. Something more local, we're getting too old to go adventuring around the world. The Seam ain't the only Hellmouth, you know. Plenty of jobs for people who are in our line of work."

"I have no particular desire to live in Cleveland." she retorted.

Nobody wanted to go to that Hellmouth, not because it was the worst but because it was _Cleveland._

"How about Paris?" he challenged. "'Cause Chaff's mainly Europe based these days so…"

 _Paris_.

She _loved_ Paris.

Paris made her dream like nothing else. In another life…

"Are you offering me a job once…" Her sentence trailed off. The only way this could happen was if their Slayer died and while it seemed inevitable in the long run, she wasn't ready to entertain the thought.

"I'm just saying the Council ain't your only option." he said flatly. "Wouldn't be prestigious but it'd still be saving lives. _And_ you get to keep your conscience clean on top of it."

Her heart was beating fast in her chest as she imagined her mother's reaction if she told her she was leaving the Council of Watchers to settle down at a demon hunting agency. More importantly, she imagined Caesar's disappointed face and she wasn't certain she had it in her to disappoint her former Watcher once more. He didn't have children to take up the Watcher mantle after him, she was responsible for his legacy, the same way Haymitch was spiritually Mags' heir. It was important in Watchers circles. She had been taught since the start it was important.

"Just food for thought." he concluded, putting a final end to that discussion. "Night, Princess."

"Goodnight." she whispered, leaning in to kiss him without thinking.

He kissed back. A chaste peck.

That too didn't seem very casual.

She let herself in her house that felt too big, too dark and too empty. It wasn't as welcoming as she would have liked but she compensated by pouring herself a glass of wine, kicking off the heels that were now killing her and gracelessly flopping down on the couch since no one was there to see her do it. With a sigh, she dragged a book closer and started looking for any sign of anything called _the_ _Reaping_ again, pretty sure Haymitch was doing the same on the other side of the street.

Her glass was long empty and she was trying not to doze off because she really needed a shower when frantic hammering echoed at her door.

She startled awake, her eyes passing over the mess of open magic books scattered over the coffee table and half the floor, the IPad that had long gone dormant, the full ashtray, the half-empty packet of cigarettes, and then darted to the clock. It was well past one in the morning.

Her first thought was that Haymitch had an itch to scratch.

Her second was that Haymitch wouldn't have kept hammering like that except in case of emergency and sex _wasn't_ an emergency.

She stood up, a little nervous, and made her way to the front door, checking she still had a stake wedged at the back of her shorts. She also made sure her right hand was free in case she needed to summon something fast.

The hammering stopped immediately once she opened the door but only because the person responsible for it fell into her arms.

She stumbled back, surprised by the unexpected weight but quickly grabbed the boy who was clinging to her and sobbing his heart out.

"I did something bad." Peeta repeated over and over again. "I think I killed her. I did something bad."

The chill that ran down her spine had nothing to do with cold.

* * *

 _The plot thickens... Who did Peeta kill? What has he done? Will hayffie hightail to Paris with their kids in toe to escape justice? XD Let me know your thoughts!_


	44. E6: The Inner Monster (4)

4

* * *

The boy was sobbing his heart out, his face buried in her neck, and for a few seconds, all Effie could do was hold him as blood rushed to her ears, deafening her to everything else.

 _I think I killed her_.

Her gaze finally darted to the house across the street, her first thought being _Katniss_ because she was the only significant _her_ in Peeta's life she knew about.

 _I think I killed her_.

Haymitch's house was dark, absolutely no sign anyone was still awake or of an ongoing disaster.

She took a deep breath, tightened her embrace despite the fact Peeta was already clinging to her hard enough that her ribs were starting to hurt and gently petted the back of his head.

"Peeta, darling, what are you talking about?" she asked. She got no answer. It was like the boy was crying out years worth of tears. He swayed a little, slumped harder on her… She barely managed to keep them both upright. "Peeta, you need to calm down, sweetie. It will be alright. _Everything_ will be alright. I need you to work with me now, alright? We cannot stay here."

Was it the forced calm in her voice or how reassuring she managed to sound? She wasn't sure but she felt him nod against her shoulder and he didn't resist when she steered him toward the couch after toeing the front door shut.

He collapsed on the couch and immediately bent in two, hiding his face in his hands, still crying hard, still falling apart, breathing so loudly that Effie was half afraid he would make himself sick. She hastily pushed away the rare expensive books just in case and then kneeled next to him, rubbing his back, feeling at a loss…

"Can you explain to me what happened, darling?" she asked gently. "Is someone hurt? Did you have an accident?"

She hadn't heard his truck, she realized, had he _run_ all the way there?

A massive shudder made his whole body twitch and he hiccupped a few times. She patiently watched him try to get himself under control, rubbing his back until he finally dropped his hands and looked at her. His cheeks were _bathed_ with tears, he was sweaty and there was something a little feverish to his puffy eyes. There was also a quickly darkening bruise on his cheek.

Above all though, it was the hopeless despair that made her heart clench.

"Look at the state you are in…" she gently chided, clucking her tongue. She reached for his cheek, to assess the damage and, perhaps, to heal it with a touch of magic, but he flinched. She immediately froze, her hand hovering next to his face, feeling sick to her stomach because she knew what that reaction meant. She did her best to control the growl in her voice, to make sure it wouldn't be mistaken as any sort of anger against him. The shame that flashed on his face was hard to bear. "I will just heal the bruise, then, shall I?"

She sounded breathless to her own ears, her voice strangled.

Her hand started to glow when she silently worked the spell and she passed it over his cheek while he watched in shock.

"You need to tell me who hurt you, Peeta." she said and she didn't leave room for negotiations this time. Her tone was firm, determined. "This _cannot_ go on. I will _not_ allow it. We gave you as much time as I am comfortable giving."

He needed to _tell_ her so she could storm that bakery and burn it down to the ground. And burn it she _would_. With the man responsible for his injuries inside.

The fury swelled inside her chest and her fingers glowed brighter and brighter until she was forced to take a deep breath and remind herself she was _not_ as powerful as Haymitch liked to think she was. It had all been a fluke, she was in control and her magic would _not_ take over. Even when she was lost in the midst of a vengeful wrath.

"I think I killed her." Peeta mumbled again, his voice breaking in the middle of the sentence. "I'm a monster. I… I'm a _monster_."

"You are certainly _not_ a monster." she countered, grasping his hand and squeezing even when he flinched again. "You…"

"Yeah, I am." Peeta insisted, still fighting to even his breaths. Tears were still rolling down his cheeks. "Ever since the fear demon… The anger… I couldn't… I couldn't shake it off. And then… Katniss and… Tonight…" He shook his head. "I didn't mean to… I didn't _mean_ to, Effie… But maybe I _did_ a little…"

He broke down in sobs again.

 _He didn't hurt Katniss_ , she told herself again. Katniss was fine and asleep next to Prim across the street.

Still, she discreetly wriggled her fingers to work another spell, immediately feeling the cost of it taking its toll. She felt faint and dizzy.

" _Haymitch."_ She reached across the street for his mind. The silent communication spell was one she had been looking at for a while but it was taxing and the distance only increased the difficulty. It had been hard to sustain when there had only been a corridor between them, a street, two yards and she didn't know how many rooms were _too much_. And, to add insult to injury, he appeared to be _asleep_. She couldn't get a good hold on his mind, it was slippery. _"HAYMITCH!"_ she thought louder, with all the magical strength she could muster.

She imagined him jumping awake, knife slashing at an invisible opponent…

It took a few seconds before she got an answer.

" _STOP DOING THAT."_ His thought was loud enough to make her wince with the beginning of a headache. _"What the fuck do you want?"_

" _Check on Katniss."_ she demanded.

" _Why?"_ he replied and she hoped he was already getting out of bed and going because she wouldn't be able to sustain the spell for much longer and Peeta was still falling apart in front of her. She didn't explain. She simply waited, biting the inside of her cheek, gathering every ounce of her power… _"She's fine."_ he told her finally. _"Asleep. Both of them. What's going on?"_

" _I have a situation here with Peeta."_ she said, knowing her voice was probably sounding faint to him because the spell was slipping away from her. _"We are safe. Don't come. Not yet. I will text you."_

The spell broke with a snap that made her whole body jerk. Fortunately, she didn't think Peeta noticed. Her attention on her immediate surroundings again, she squeezed the boy's hand.

"Peeta, darling, who do you think you hurt?" she whispered. "You have to tell me in case someone out there needs help."

She couldn't imagine _Peeta_ assaulting a random girl for the fun of it. And yet when the fear demon had had them under his control… The fight with Gale had been terrible to watch. She could understand losing control better than _anyone_ else.

"I'm a monster…" he whispered again. "I'm _bad._ I'm… I'm _bad,_ Effie."

"No, you are not." she insisted. "We did a cloaking spell yesterday, didn't Katniss tell you about that? Bad people… _Monsters_ would _never_ be able to find the Village now. Never mind _enter_ it. See? You are _not_ bad, darling. What you are is _exhausted_ and _upset_. And perhaps even in shock."

She reached for the plaid that resided on the back of the couch purely for decoration sake and wrapped it around him. Her head was spinning but she resolutely pushed it aside. She would have to stop casting complicated spells for a while if she didn't want to end up in a magical exhausted coma once more.

He grabbed the thin blanket and burrowed a little into it, licking the tears off his lips. He wiped his cheeks on his sleeve and she made a small face, barely stopping herself from telling him off for not using a handkerchief.

"I… I don't want to be like her. I _don't_ …" he confessed, his voice hoarse. He needed fluids, she noted, but she didn't want to leave him alone to fetch some water just yet.

"Like who?" she insisted.

"My mom." he finally breathed out in a shudder.

What she immediately thought was that perhaps he was not the only one being abused in that household and that Peeta viewed his mother accepting the situation as weakness. That was the typical pattern, at least.

"Is your mother hurt?" she asked, already looking around the living-room for the phone she didn't remember even taking out of her purse earlier. "Did your father hurt her?"

"My father…" he repeated slowly, as if he was too tired to properly understand. He dropped his head in his hands again, pressing the heels against his eyes. "I pushed her down the stairs."

Effie froze.

She froze, swallowed, re-evaluated…

"You…" She cleared her throat. "You _what?_ "

"She was in one of her moods… She hit me again." he droned out flatly, lacking any sort of energy whatsoever. "I told her to stop… I told her… I was _so_ angry. I pushed her. I didn't mean… I didn't think of the stairs… I just…" He rubbed his eyes and then met her gaze and held it. "I'm like her. I didn't want to be like her but I _am_ … I did the same thing she would. I hurt her instead of…"

 _It wasn't the father_.

Effie took the information in stride. "Did you call 911?"

He shook his head. "Dad told me to go, that he would take care of it, that I couldn't stay there."

"Was she alive?" she asked because she had to.

His eyes filled with tears again but he didn't break down in sobs that time. She suspected he didn't have any energy left for that. "I don't know…"

"Alright." she said firmly, taking charge. She stood up too quickly and had to reach for the couch's armrest to steady herself…

"Are you alright?" he asked, sounding so worried…

How could that boy believe himself to be anything but _good_? Even right then in the midst of a personal tragedy, he was concerned about someone else's wellbeing…

"Of course, do not worry." She flashed him one of her cheerful smiles and cautioned him to stay where he was for a moment. She fetched a bottle of water and her purse. "Type your father's number for me, please, darling. We will check on your mother for your peace of mind. I am certain everything is fine."

She _hoped_ everything was fine because as much as she wanted to see that woman with a broken neck she didn't want Peeta to have to bear the guilt of it for the rest of his life.

She forced him to drink the water slowly so he wouldn't upset his stomach while she waited for the call to dial. It went to voicemail so she dialed it again. And again. And again.

Mr Mellark only picked up on the fifth attempt and he didn't sound pleased. " _Ye_ s? _Who's this?_ "

"Mr Mellark, I am Peeta's Art teacher." She introduced herself without flourish, her voice taking a sharp angry edge that made the boy flinch. She forced herself to soften it, if only a little, to assume a front of cold politeness. "Peeta is extremely distressed and I would very much appreciate it if you could give me news of his mother's wellbeing."

There was such a long pause on the other end of the line that she thought for a minute that he had hung up on her.

" _Art teacher, you said?"_ the man said slowly, clearly nervous. _"Look, I don't know what Peeta told you…"_

"Enough." she hissed through her teeth, managing to keep a lead on her temper only because the boy was staring at her. "He told me _enough_. Please, do answer my question."

" _It was my fault."_ Mr Mellark said quickly. _"Liddy is fine. I startled her, she lost her balance and she stumbled down the stairs but she's fine. Just a bruised hip. Whatever my son said…"_

"Oh, we will have _words_ about what your son has to say, _never fear._ " she snapped, before reaching for Peeta's hand. "Your mother is alright, darling. I will put the kettle on, shall I? Some chamomile will do you good. And perhaps a sandwich? Are you hungry?"

Peeta shook his head but she could see some of the tension leaving him. He curled up against the armrest of the couch and she bit back a comment about his dirty sneakers on her brand new sofa before standing up. She waited until she was in the kitchen and she was certain he couldn't hear her anymore before speaking again.

"I hope you understand I will _not_ allow this to continue _any_ longer." she snarled. "You put him in a situation where he had to hurt someone to defend himself and I will _not_ have it. He is _deeply_ upset. And with good reason. And that's _without_ talking of the various scars and injuries he suffered in the _oh so tender_ care of your wife."

" _Do you really think it would be better for him to be sent into the system? To be put in foster care?"_ Mr Mellark retorted. " _I do my best. I… I do my best."_

"Well. _Clearly_ , your best is _not_ enough." she growled. "You can expect to hear from me again tomorrow. It goes without saying I will _not_ allow Peeta to go back to your household."

She hung up before the man could remind her she had no legal right to forbid Peeta to do anything and, above all, that she had no power to stop _him_ from recalling his son home. She also preferred to put an end to the conversation before she gave in to the urge to hex the baker and his wife to hell and back.

She prepared Peeta's infusion, fixed him a sandwich even though he had said he wasn't hungry and carried the tray back to the living-room. The boy had curled up further on her couch, half asleep.

 _Exhausted_ , more likely than not.

He _had_ suffered from a concussion less than a week earlier.

"Here you go, dear." She placed the tray on the coffee table with a small smile.

"Are you sure she's alright?" he whispered, rubbing his face as he sat up. "I didn't… I just got _so_ angry…"

She frowned "Peeta, listen to me." She sat down next to him on the couch and squeezed his shoulder. "You were only defending yourself. You did _nothing_ wrong. In fact, if the same situation ever arises again, I _expect_ you to do the very same thing. You should _never_ let anyone hurt you. _Never_."

The boy swallowed hard. "She never loved me. I don't know what I did to her. She never… She loved my brothers just fine. It's _me_ she…" He shuddered. "I don't want to be like her. I don't want to have all that _anger_ I can't control. I…"

"You are _nothing_ like her." she promised, shaking her head. "You could _never_ be like her."

He reached for the cup of chamomile, cradled it between his hands, his shoulders slouched… "You're going to tell Haymitch."

"Yes." She didn't see the point in lying. "Although I suspect he already knows. We were… waiting for you to come to us, Peeta."

"I didn't want anyone to know." he whispered, closing his eyes. Shame and anger battling on his face. "I shouldn't have told Katniss. I don't know why I did. After… After it was like there was no point keeping the secret anymore and now…"

"Now, you will be _safe_." she finished slowly when he let his sentence trail of. "Tomorrow we will go to the police…"

"No." he snapped, clutching the cup harder. So hard she was almost afraid it would break.

"I am sure Haymitch will come with us if you would prefer him to…" she insisted.

" _No_." he repeated, his voice rising. He wasn't _quite_ glaring at her but it was close. "I don't want… I don't want to go to the police. I don't want my family to have problems."

Effie licked her lips, lifted her chin a little because when in doubt… When in doubt, she had been taught you kept your chin high, your eyes bright and you smiled. But there was very little to smile about right then.

"Your family _hurt_ you. What they did was _wrong_." she countered. "And for that, there needs to be consequences."

He shook his head. "I don't want that. And you don't get it… My mom's on the town council. It's not… They'll never believe _me_. She's a good councilwoman. People _like_ her. My brothers will take her side. _Everyone_ will take her side."

"Peeta, I understand this is difficult but…" she pressed.

" _No_." he hissed. "And if you try to get me to talk to the police I will just tell them you're _lying_. You healed the bruise. There's no proof anymore."

She pursed her lips. "Peeta…"

"Are you going to _force_ me?" he challenged.

That was a _very_ good question to which she didn't yet have an answer. She wanted him safe and out of that house but to steal his agency even further by taking the choice to seek justice away from him…

"I am willing to wait until you are ready." she replied calmly after a moment. " _However_ , you will be staying with me until further notice. Or with Haymitch if you would prefer that arrangement but this is _non-negotiable_. You are _not_ going back there. Are we clear?" He opened his mouth to answer but she lifted a hand. "And before you say anything and so you have all the facts, let me tell you that if you choose to disobey me and go back, the next time I see a bruise, a burn or a _hint_ that your mother has touched you, I will personally turn her into a cockroach and stomp on her." She did smile this time and, perhaps, it was a chilling smile but it was also genuinely felt. "See? I am not certain which one of us is the real monster here. I would kill her without a second thought for having hurt you."

She held Peeta's tired blue gaze until he finally lowered it to the cup of chamomile. "I'm still so angry… Aren't you scared I will hurt you next?"

Her smile softened. "Not in the least. As for the anger…" She touched his arm. "I would advise you not to let it fester… You do _not_ want to end up a bitter grumpy man like Haymitch, after all."

The joke had the desired effect and his lips twitched a little. But not long and not a lot. He took a sip of the chamomile and rubbed his eyes again.

"Haymitch's a hero." he mumbled. "Ending up like him wouldn't be so bad."

"Let's not tell him that. His head is big enough." she teased. The boy looked ready to crash and she sighed. "I will go upstairs and get the guest room ready for you."

"I'm fine on the couch." he protested. "It's late. I don't want to bother you."

"It's no bother." she denied and then hesitated. "And if you choose to stay here with me… We can paint it, you know. I understand pink is not your favorite color."

He flashed her a tired smile and she had the feeling she was pressuring him too much so when he told her again he was fine on the couch for the night, she reluctantly accepted. She grabbed her phone on her way to the stairs, took the quickest shower in history and then settled in her bed, fighting sleep but knowing Haymitch must have been digging a hole with his pacing on the other side of the street.

' _I may just have blackmailed Peeta into letting me adopt him by threatening to murder his mother if he went back to his family.'_ she typed.

She hit send and dropped her head on the pillow, stared at the ceiling and let out a long deep sigh.

 _This_ was certainly not the type of complications she had envisioned when she had been sent on this particular mission.

It was probably also very telling that Haymitch objected neither to the blackmail nor to the threats.

' _Ur telling me it was the mother?'_ his text read.

It sickened her only to think about it. It was just as wrong when a father abused his child, of course, but to think a _mother_ would do something like that to her son…

' _He accidentally pushed her down the stairs earlier.'_ she explained. ' _She's fine. Unfortunately.'_

' _The kid?'_ he texted back immediately.

' _Upset.'_ she typed back and then winced. ' _Ashamed. I think you should talk to him at breakfast tomorrow. He looks up to you a lot.'_

' _Sure'_ he answered within a minute. ' _U ok?'_

She took a moment to ponder that. Was she? She was upset too. _Furious_ , even.

' _He doesn't want to go to the police.'_ she texted. ' _I want to feed her to a lamia demon.'_

Lamias were monstrously ugly and digested their victims while they were still alive. A slow excruciating death. Fitting.

It took longer for Haymitch to answer. _'Lamia r tricky. Maybe we can push her in a vampire nest'_

She smiled in relief that he didn't think her a monster for contemplating killing a human.

They traded a few more messages planning gruesome murders until she fell asleep.

Unsurprisingly, she had nightmares.

* * *

 _Soooo Peeta's mom isn't dead BUT that's only temporary if Effie has something to say about it XD What did you think of this chapter? (I know I promised everlark, it is coming do not worry next chapter we are going to have a... shall we say furry problem?)._


	45. E6: The Inner Monster (5)

5.

* * *

Peeta woke up from his nightmare with a strangled scream, rolled off the couch to a crouch and stared at the unfamiliar shadows with no clue whatsoever as to where he was.

This wasn't his bedroom.

It wasn't his house.

The simmering disgust in his stomach made him even more dizzy and it was several wild seconds before he finally recognized the layout of Effie's living-room in the dark. He rubbed his face while his anarchic heartbeat slowed down to something a little less life threatening. He could taste bile at the back of his throat, his skin felt clammy and beads of cold sweat were running down his spine…

When he recalled the reason he was there in the first place, he felt like throwing up for real.

Slowly, he sat back down on the couch and forced himself to stay still, to _listen_ in case he had woken up the woman with his wild thrashing and his muffled shouting.

The whole house was silent.

The silence had a peculiar quality to it, a different kind than the hush that fell at his own home at night, but then again, he supposed each house had its own rhythm. After several minutes, when it became clear Effie wouldn't come investigate, he let himself relax a little, wiped his sweaty face on his sleeve and switched on the light, unable to face the surrounding darkness.

He knew she meant well but she could be overwhelming and he didn't want to talk right then. He didn't want to rehash the whole _abuse_ thing. He didn't want to hear about going to the police or pressing charges or whatever it was she wanted him to do. In his experience, his parents being who they were, it never paid out to talk about it. Accidents were accidents, no matter that they had happened on purpose or not. The Seam was a small town. Small towns had their own set of rules.

 _It wouldn't be that bad to stay at her place though…_

He had been so _jealous_ when Haymitch had taken Katniss and Prim in… Not outwardly, of course. He had been glad for his friends, happy that the girls would find something a little more stable than a mother who couldn't be bothered to get help and a crappy trailer but… A part of him had been deadly jealous because he would have given everything for…

Would his father go along with it? Would he let him stay with Effie? Could _he_ impose on her like that? It was normal for Haymitch to want to take Katniss in, she was the Slayer, she was important… Perhaps the most important person on this planet but _Peeta_ … Peeta was _nobody_ and it wasn't right to add to their burden by…

And what if what had happened earlier happened again?

The Lachnoc demon had shined light on a part of his mind Peeta would have preferred to remain ignorant of. He had almost beaten Gale to a pulp, he had very nearly hurt Effie and now… Now that the fear demon's influence was supposed to be gone, he didn't seem to be able to shed that anger that had driven him to violence.

When his mother had raised her fist earlier all he had felt was _fury_. Its hot taste had filled his mouth, it had wrapped itself around him until his sight went red and he wanted to…

A shiver rocked his body. He was cold but he didn't think it was what had triggered the chill.

He couldn't live like that. Afraid of himself. Afraid he would hurt someone in a fit of anger. Afraid he would turn into his mother.

He _couldn't_.

It made him sick to the stomach to just think about it happening again. And yet he could still feel the anger deep down, simmering for now but ready to boil and overflow at a moments notice…

He couldn't live like that.

He didn't want to hurt anyone. He didn't want to…

His eyes darted around, fell on the ashtray and the empty glass of wine first and then on the books scattered around the living-room floor. She was such a neat freak – for something so full of colors, the house was always perfectly ordered – that the slight mess was incongruous and brought his rising panic to a stop. She must have been in the middle of doing researches when he had barged in on her.

So not only had he bothered her but he had also stopped her from doing something far more important than taking care of him was…

Something he should have been helping with in the first place instead of hiding from Katniss' worried gaze.

Guilt and shame and anger at his own stupidity swelled in his chest.

He grabbed the first book he found thinking he might as well try and find out something about the Reaping since he obviously wasn't going to go back to sleep. He opened the book at a random page and then froze because…

 _Magic_.

Magic could take care of the problem for him. If he could make his anger vanish… If he could remove that monstrous part of himself his mother had passed unto him…

He wouldn't be dangerous then.

He would never accidentally hurt Katniss or Effie or even his own mother ever again.

He would be in complete control.

He would…

 _Magic always comes with a price_ , Effie's voice warned in his head.

But it might be a price he was willing to pay.

Slowly, he closed the book and carefully placed it on the coffee-table before standing up to inspect the IPad she had left on an armchair. There were books lining the shelves all around the living-room, of course, obscure old tomes and leather bound spell books, but it would take him forever to find what he was looking for when he knew she kept thousands of magic volumes on her tablet…

He brought it to life by pressing the button, happy to see it was an older model and didn't require her fingerprint. It didn't request any code either. It opened for him as if it was fate itself and he quickly tapped on the book app, staring down at the numerous books and PDFs.

He tried a few quick searches with _anger management, uncontrollable wrath_ and _emotions_ but it was the terms _inner monster_ that brought out the most promising results. There were books about embracing your inner monster – that seemed to be about summoning some kind of demons – and he bypassed those quickly, eventually opening the one titled: _Conquering Your Inner Monster: Get Rid Of Those Pesky Feelings_.

He skimmed over the theoretical framework with a touch of excitement. _This_ sounded exactly like what it needed. There were several spells aimed at dispelling some of someone's most disturbing emotions. There was a chapter entirely devoted to heartbreak that explained how to summon a vengeance demon – he scrolled quickly away from it, no demon sounded like a good idea – a couple of chapters about various memory spells and, last but not least, a dissociative spell.

Peeta read the description quickly and sighed in relief. This sounded _perfect_. The spell was supposed to take one's strongest feeling and _banish_ it from one's mind, leaving the subject free of living the rest of their life without being annoyed by it again.

He didn't bother to read the footnotes, too relieved at the prospect of never being overcome by blind wrath again. There was a list of ingredients. He studied it attentively and then raided the cupboard where Effie kept her magical supplies – and because she was Effie Trinket, everything was perfectly organized and neatly labeled. He ignored the guilt, telling himself he would buy more or pay her back the next day, once he would be at peace and anger free.

He had been reading so much about magic and the occult in the last few months that following the instructions wasn't complicated at all. A little voice, at the back of his mind, whispered he was being an idiot and that Haymitch would be _livid_ when he would find out and that there would be hell to pay if Effie figured it out but he crushed its objections in the bud because, after all, they never had to know.

He sprinkled the crushed salamander powder into a stone bowl, added the other stuff, lit the candle, uttered the Latin spell in a low voice that, he hoped, wouldn't carry upstairs, and then blew out the flame.

Nothing happened. Nothing felt different.

It figured.

There were several explanations, of course. Maybe he had gotten something wrong with the ingredients. Maybe he had butchered the Latin pronunciation.

Or maybe he simply had _zero_ magical talent.

Effie had explained to him time and time again that anyone could do little spells but that it took power to do something a little more ambitious. Maybe this was too ambitious.

Stubbornly, he read the spell again, trying to stress new syllables, playing around with the sound of some words…

Afterwards, he wouldn't have been able to say how long the creature had been hunched in the corner, studying its prey, only that when it finally signaled its presence with a low growl, every hair on his body went _up_.

The beast had the form of a huge dog – huge as in the size of a small pony. Its fur was the exact same sandy shade of blond as Peeta's hair and its eyes… Its eyes were human. Worse. They were Peeta's eyes.

There was a feeling of _wrongness_ as soon as he glimpsed the snarling monster.

When it pounced, all slobbering fangs, Peeta scrambled back with an instinctive shout, looking around for a weapon… The dog crashed on the coffee table that broke to smithereens under its weight, and immediately turned back to him, snapping his jaws…

There was no weapon around.

 _How could there be no weapons around in a Watcher's house?_

Haymitch had a trunk in every room, including the bathrooms _and_ the toilets. He would have to talk to Effie about safety.

If he survived the dog.

 _And_ the pissed off witch who charged into the living-room, wearing nothing but tangerine frilly shorts and a matching light camisole. Her choice of sleepwear was more than he wanted to know about her.

Frost crept all over the beast before it could jump on him again and Peeta used the respite to get back on his feet.

"Where did he come from?!" Effie asked. The dog shuddered and the thin coat of ice that covered him broke. " _Dammit_!" she uncharacteristically spat, lifting both hands in front of her. Her eyes flashed gold. "Peeta, run!"

He did run, straight to the armory full of weapons he had admired so long the last time he had been there. Behind him, he heard a snarl, a crash and a shout of pain followed by another _deafening_ sound… He hesitated in front of the weapons, Effie's warnings ringing in his ears… _Never use one without my say so_ , she had said, _some can be more dangerous than demons…_

There were more shouts and with a curse he grabbed the hilt of one of the swords on display and rushed back to the living-room.

The living-room that was now missing a wall…

The window was gone, there was a huge hole in its place. Effie was standing on the gap leading to the street, barefoot in the middle of the rubbles, blood dripping down from deep claw marks on her arm and she had her hands raised again. She was visibly shaking.

Peeta ducked under her arm and took stock of what was happening outside. The dog was thrashing, its huge paws encased in ice… Haymitch wearing nothing but boxers was trying to get close enough on one side to hit it with his knife but the beast was too good at avoiding any kind of direct hit and almost snapped his arm off with its terrible jaw… Katniss, in an oversized tee-shirt that, for whatever reason since she wasn't a fan to his knowledge, had Liza Simpsons on it was trying to get a good shot with her bow but was having difficulties with the beast twisting and turning and Haymitch being so close… Prim was huddling next to Haymitch's front door, holding a crossbow with obvious unease…

Peeta jumped into the fray, rounding the beast on the opposite side as Haymitch.

"What did you…" Effie frowned when she spotted what he was holding. "Be careful with that sword, it is…"

Her whole body seized and the words died in the back of her throat.

"Effie!" Haymitch called with obvious concern. The distraction cost him dearly when the dog managed to free one of its huge paws and swiped in his direction. The Watcher leaped back but not quickly enough to avoid the claws that scratched his bare chest.

"I can't…" the witch said… Then her eyes rolled back and she collapsed on the heap of broken glass and pieces of wood. She tried pushing herself up again but she was shaking and her nose was badly bleeding.

The ice vanished as if it had never been there.

Peeta swung his sword toward the dog that leaped away but snarled at him.

Katniss finally found a good shot and let an arrow loose.

It found its target right over the right front paw.

It didn't seem to bother the dog but Peeta fell to his knees with a pained cry, an agonizing burning throb reverberating down his right arm. The sword slipped from his numb fingers and he barely had enough presence of mind to roll to the side when the beast tried to take a bite out of him again. The pain didn't lessen.

Haymitch's sword opened a gash on the dog's flank and it was Peeta who roared, pressing a hand against his side. It came away wet with blood.

Peeta met the Watcher's eyes over the beast's back.

"What the _fuck's_ happening?" Katniss shouted, nocking another arrow.

"Don't shoot!" Haymitch ordered, lifting his left hand in her direction to bodily tell her to stop.

The dog tried pouncing on Peeta again and he rolled away for the second time with a sick feeling deep in his stomach.

"Oh, _shit_ …" he spat. The fur, the eyes… His hair, his eyes…

The spell…

His spell…

"The _fuck_ did you do?" Haymitch snarled. Peeta was a little too busy avoiding ending as a dog snack to answer at once and when he tried to open his mouth to explain, he realized the man wasn't talking to him. He had directed his question to the witch who was struggling to haul herself to her knees. And he looked extremely pissed. "Is this a protection spell gone wrong? Did you do something? Trinket! Focus for _fuck's_ sake!"

Effie shook her head either to clear her mind or to refute his accusation.

"It was me." he confessed, avoiding another of the dog's lunging attack.

"What?" Katniss was suddenly in front of him with a stake that seemed far too small to tackle such a beast. "What did you say?"

"It was me!" he repeated louder. It was as if a hush had fallen over the street as they all stared at him – even the dog was staring at him and that was the key wasn't it? "It's me you want." he told the beast. "Right? It's me you want so _leave them alone_!" That was the last thing he wanted, for the people he loved, this makeshift family they had made, to be hurt because of his own stupidity. The dog was all wrath. _His_ wrath. His inner monster. "Come and get me!"

He started running, holding his bleeding side, his right arm dangling uselessly…

"Peeta!" Katniss screamed.

"No, don't!" Haymitch yelled.

He couldn't see what was happening behind him, he could only guess that she had tried to shoot the dog again and that Haymitch had knocked her off… He could only run. He could only run, feeling the foul breath of the dog on his heels urging him to go faster than he had ever run before…

The thing about inner monsters though…

You could never really escape them.

* * *

 _ooopsie seems like it's the second cliffhanger of the week XD Well... What did Peeta do now? What did you think?_


	46. E6: The Inner Monster (6)

6

* * *

Haymitch didn't let go of Katniss until the boy and the huge dog chasing them were out of sight and, then again, he only set her free because she elbowed him in his badly scratched chest.

"Stand down!" he ordered her when it was obvious she intended to pursue them. "You hurt that dog, you hurt _Peeta_."

Katniss was so furious she was almost seething at the mouth. It was possible she might have been worried too. It was hard to tell. Her eyes were still swollen from sleep, her shirt was flapping in the wind and her hair was loose around her face… She looked positively murderous.

"I'm going after them." she hissed. "He's hurt. If this _thing_ catches up…"

He hated it when the kid made sense.

"Get some pants on first." he retorted, turning toward Effie's house. What was left of it. His own house had seen a lot of renovations in its time, Slayer business wasn't conductive to keeping one's home intact.

The witch was still on all four amongst the pile of broken wood and shattered glass.

While Katniss ran back toward his house to get some clothes and, presumably, _weapons_ , he picked up the sword the boy had dropped. The hilt was finely crafted and it was giving out some serious magic vibes that immediately made him wrinkle his nose.

"Be careful with that." Effie warned in a soft voice when he made his way to her. "It is Hypnos' sword."

Haymitch immediately placed the blade down on her front porch, careful not to touch the blade. According to the lore, the sword had been bathed in the river Lethe and a simple scratch was enough to make you forget _everything_ about your life. It might have sounded taunting if it hadn't also left you as vulnerable as an infant with no memory of how to walk, talk or fend for yourself.

"Thought it was a legend." he commented.

"You will find I own a lot of legends." she retorted, pushing herself upright. "Don't! You're barefoot!"

"So are you." he grumbled and kept on walking closer to the gaping hole in her living-room wall.

Prim had caught up with him – and _she_ had had the presence of mind to put on slippers and a dressing gown before rushing out of her bedroom when they had heard the growls and the crashing sounds – and was carefully picking her path amongst the rubble.

"Effie, are you alright?" the girl worried.

"Perfectly fine." the witch lied through her teeth. Her arm was badly bleeding, there were scratches all over her hands and shins and, he was ready to bet, shards of glass stuck under her skin too. "Haymitch, _don't_." He ignored her protest and picked her up, pretending hard the glass digging in his soles wasn't bothering him one bit. "I do _not_ need…" she raged but let her sentence trail off, mostly because she didn't seem to be able to keep her head up anymore. It lolled against his neck and her hand clenched on his shoulder. "You're hurt…"

He didn't need the reminder.

"I'm fine." he grumbled.

 _She_ clearly wasn't.

He carried her to a safer patch of grass on her front yard and sat her down. He couldn't tell what was worse, the blood on her arms, legs and her nosebleed or how _pale_ she had become. It had been a little more than a week since she had ended up in a _magical coma_ and there she was using too much magic again…

"What happened?" he asked, his voice clipped.

Katniss came jogging out of the house at that point, wearing jeans that were so skinny he immediately knew they were part of the loads of clothes Effie kept showering the girls with. She hadn't bothered changing out of the tee-shirt she slept in. The grey fabric was faded and the Lisa Simpson picture was all cracked and he figured she had probably bought it secondhand when money had been tight. She was _so_ not a Lisa Simpson girl and that show was so moronic in the first place that he decided that his first order of business once he would have figured out what the hell Peeta had done, had found the boy, saved his ass and killed him himself, would be to send Effie out with the girl on a shopping outing for better pajamas.

"Here." his Slayer said before Effie could try and answer. She tossed clothes and a pair of boots at his feet. Haymitch started getting dressed, trying not to wince too much when it pulled on the wound on his chest – or to be too embarrassed by the fact he had been wandering in the street wearing only underwear.

"I am unsure." Effie shook her head. "It must be a spell but…"

"I found something!" Prim shouted from the inside of the house. She came back out waving Effie's pink cased IPad. The tablet had a huge cobweb like crack in the middle of the screen but it was still working. "Look! It's something about releasing your inner monster?"

"So he did magic. _Fucking_ great." he spat. He had been hoping the whole thing had been an accident, a case of touching the wrong thing… In a witch's house, it could happen. Hell… In _Effie's house_ , anything could happen. He hadn't seen the whole extent of her enchanted weapons collection but he knew she owned a lot of dangerous stuff. The Hypnos' sword wasn't the worst by far. "What did I say about using _fucking_ magic? Does no one _ever_ listen to me?"

" _I_ do." Prim protested. " _Never ever_ under _any_ circumstances and _even more never_ without you or Effie."

He took a deep calming breath and laid a hand on the youngest girl's shoulder. "That's why you're my favorite."

"So, what do we do?" Katniss pressed, shuffling her weight from one foot to the other, clearly eager to run after the boy. So was he. "You can fix it, right?"

The last part had been aimed at Effie who had been studying the spell detailed on her tablet. Later, he decided, they would have words about password protecting dangerous stuff. The fact that _he_ was the one who had to be giving that lecture was _a joke_.

Or maybe the joke was that two single adults had to childproof their houses because they were suddenly in charge of _teenagers_ …

"I need to research this." She winced. "The best course of action right now would be for you to find Peeta and protect him. But do _not_ hurt the dog. Anything you do to him, you are actually doing to Peeta."

Katniss stared at her with a blank gaze. "How am I supposed to stop the huge fangy dog from eating him if I can't hurt him?"

"Use your imagination." Haymitch deadpanned. "Prim, go back to bed. Effie, you're on research. Katniss, make sure you've got your phone and get the bike's keys, we're going after them."

The girl shook her head. "Take the bike and circle around in case that beast is causing trouble in town. I'll track him more quickly on foot. I know Peeta, he probably went to the woods so he wouldn't hurt anyone."

And she would be in her element in the woods.

Assuming, Gloss and the other Careers weren't waiting for her there.

"I should come." Effie argued. "I was taken by surprise but if I tap into earth magic I should be able to maintain the freezing spell a little longer. Perhaps…"

"No more magic for you." Haymitch cut her off. "If there's a spell to do, I'll take care of it myself. The boy managed it, can't be _that_ difficult."

She sat up straighter and glared at him. It would have been more impressive if she hadn't been wearing only a light orange top and shorts stained with blood and if it hadn't been so _fucking_ obvious she couldn't stand on her own two feet by herself. She was the only one still sitting.

"I am _fine_." she snapped. "I know my limits."

" _Do_ you?" he sneered. "Cause from where I stand, sweetheart, it looks like you've almost killed yourself. _Again_."

She glared harder, her eyes narrowed, her lips pursed, her head slightly tilted… "I do not need you overprotecting me."

He couldn't take it. The blood, the sickly pallor of her skin… She looked half dead. She looked like one of his ghosts. She…

"I _ain't_ being overprotective." he growled, angry for all the wrong reasons. "Couldn't care less if you accidentally offed yourself with one too many _abracadabras._ Thing is though, we've got a dark ritual around the corner and I can't afford to be down one witch for that Reaping. _Fuck_ knows you won't be much use in a fight without your magic…"

Hurt flashed across her face and then it was gone under a polished expression of polite disinterest.

Someone else would have told him to go _fuck_ himself and he would have been the first to admit he would have deserved it but it was Effie and Effie was too much of a _fucking_ lady for that. She simply jutted her chin in the air and slowly got back to her feet.

He regretted snapping at her the moment he did it and he tried to reach for her, to _help_ but she shrugged him off.

"Princess…" he sighed, more softly.

"We're wasting time." Katniss growled. "I'm going."

"Only hurt him if you _cannot_ avoid it." Effie reminded her. "I will call as soon as I know how to cancel that spell."

Katniss acknowledged that with a nod, shouldered her bow and shot down the street in the direction Peeta had taken earlier.

"We should clean your wounds…" Prim told Effie, a little shyly in the deafening silence following her sister's departure. "I'll get the first aid kit."

"I would offer to heal the scratches on your chest but I wouldn't want to deprive you of a witch for your next important fight." Effie hissed at him, once the girl was gone. "I surmise you will live."

He grabbed her arm and tugged her back before she could storm to his own fucking house like she owned the place.

" _You_ won't if you keep on like that." he muttered. "Be _fucking_ more careful. You might have more power than you think, doesn't mean you're in control yet. You know better than me that it takes time and training. You're being _fucking_ reckless and I _can't_ have that." He paused, his jaw locked, he almost didn't add the rest. "Don't want to _bury_ you."

He left her behind with those parting words, jogging home to snatch a jacket, the keys and a helmet from the hallway table. The bike shot down the street at its usual speed… He was at the end of the lane when he felt the tingling feeling of her magic ripple on him.

First, the torn flesh of his chest mended.

Then, he felt the words she had just whispered far behind him like a fading kiss on his lips.

 _May the odds be ever in your favor_.

A part of him cursed her twice over for doing _more_ magic when he had _just_ told her to cool it. Another part was just grateful enough to admit he might need the good luck spell.

°O°O°O°O°

Peeta was out of breath before he even reached the Village's gates.

He could feel the dog rushing in his wake, knew that if the beast had really wanted to, it could have ended him with a single bite…

But it hadn't yet.

Sometimes fangs grazed the back of his shins, urging him to go faster.

Sometimes there was a menacing snarl.

Did it herd him to the trees that stretched on either side of the slope leading up to the Village or was it a conscious choice ? Was there _even_ a choice? He couldn't lead the beast into town. He could only lure it far away from people and hope that nobody else would get hurt.

 _Haymitch and Effie_ were both hurt.

After everything they had done for him, _he_ had caused them to get hurt.

He stumbled on a root that shot out of the ground, rolled down a ditch, sucked in a painful breath of air when his shoulder and his side throbbed in protest… He was losing a lot of blood and he felt light-headed.

Still, he climbed up the other side of the ditch, not daring to glance behind him at the dog that, for some reason, waited for him to be upright again to cross the ditch with a huge graceful leap…

Peeta was running again, hopping every three strides because of the stitch in his side. Or maybe it was the bleeding line the knife had left on the dog's flank.

The beast snarled and lounged and toyed with him in a cruel game that seemed to last hours…

He wasn't even conscious that he was deep in the woods until he realized he was completely lost.

For all he knew, the dog might even be trying to chase him all the way to the Hellmouth…

* * *

 _I don't know who's having the worst night: Haymitch or Peeta? XD_

 _Next time, Katniss will be on the hunt. Now do you think she will catch up fast enough?_


	47. E6: The Inner Monster (7)

7.

* * *

It had been a long time since Katniss had used her tracking abilities to hunt something that wasn't a monster or another.

She told herself that, once she would have Peeta back and the Careers were all dust in the wind, she would grant herself a day to simply _hunt_ in the woods. No monsters, no vampires… Just her, her bow and traditional game. No blood, no sweat, no pain.

She zipped her father's leather jacket up to her chin, regretting not having taken the time to slip on a sweater or something warmer than the old second hand tee-shirt she usually slept in. She hadn't felt the bite of the cold when they had been battling the huge dog outside in the street but she felt it now as she ducked under low branches and did her best to speed up without losing the trail.

It _would_ have been difficult to lose though.

Even without the obvious damages the giant paws of the monster had inflicted to the forest ground, there were smears and fresh drops of blood everywhere.

At any moment she was expecting to come upon the scene of a slaughter or, at the very least, to find Peeta trying to fend off against the beast, but deeper and deeper into the woods the trail went. Over a ditch, across a clearing, right up to where the old mines used to be before they were swallowed by wilderness again…

The Seam was _surrounded_ by woods.

When she was little, before her father died and she gave up fairy tales, she believed with all her heart the woods were alive.

She wasn't sure Peeta knew them as well as _she_ did and, for a moment, she toyed with the idea of calling Gale because if there was another person out there who could move around the woods with their eyes closed… She dismissed the notion with the same uneasiness she had felt every time she had let herself think about Gale. She couldn't get over the fact he had been planning to somehow steal her powers. She couldn't get over the fact that every time he offered something she thought she wanted, be it a kiss or a love declaration, it was following a question about her abilities.

 _Peeta_ never questioned her abilities.

Peeta…

She jumped across another ditch, musing about what she would _do_ to Peeta once she found him. Hit him, probably. _Strangle_ him, maybe. What an idiot… _Magic_ , really… Ever since they had met Effie, he had been all wild eyes about it like it was something _so_ great, like it was just like those _Harry Potter_ movies he was so crazy about…

She still didn't see the appeal.

She trusted her bow a hundred percent. She didn't trust the strange powers that seemed to fail Effie one time out of three or leave her in a coma.

The moment her boot touched the dry earth on the other side of the ditch she realized her mistake and dropped down, rolling to the right.

The vampire's arms closed on air… She remained crouched, swept at his ankles with her leg and stabbed him with her stake. The man turned to dust without even a word.

She stayed coiled in a crouch for a moment, waiting for her heart rate to calm down, cursing herself for being distracted. She should have felt the tingles at the back of her nape and recognized them for what they were. She should remain focused.

When it was clear there would be no more vampires, she stood up and looked for the trail again, thinking less about what she would do to Peeta and more about the upcoming fight. On the upside, she was less likely to accidentally get herself killed, on the downside, it meant she had no choice but to think about what the dog might have been doing to her friend.

She heard the scream after ten more minutes of walking.

It echoed as clear as if Peeta had been next to her but she knew it was an illusion, that sounds carried at night.

Still, she _ran_.

She ran like the devil was on her heels, the trail so obvious she didn't even bother really _looking_.

Her father had taught her to _hunt_.

Haymitch had taught her to _kill_.

She came at the beast from the flank in a jump, her right leg stretched straight out in front of her, the left folded under her body… She liked that move. It felt like flying. At least until the boot connected with the dog's side and she felt the aftershock from ankle to knee to hip…

That _thing_ was made of muscles and bones and…

She barely heard Peeta's grunt of pain, barely remembered that she _couldn't_ actually _hurt_ the dog; she fell on the forest's ground and rolled on herself to get back up before the beast could get her. Her grey eyes assessed the situation in one sweep and she decided she didn't like their odds.

Peeta had crumpled against a tree, clutching his side – where she had hit the dog – and panting hard. He was sweaty, bloody and looked just panicked enough to be more of a hindrance than a help.

The beast was between them, a huge terrifying shadow in the darkness, with fangs and claws that reflected the moonlight. It was snarling at her, so obviously ready to leap and tear her throat out…

She wanted to reach for the bow on her back but thought better of it and pulled out the small knife hidden in her boot.

"Peeta, you're alright?" she asked, not taking her eyes away from the dog.

"You shouldn't have come after me." he whispered. "You shouldn't…"

She chanced a glance.

Was he feverish? He didn't look like he was in his right mind.

"Can you try to get around it and come to me?" she asked even though she already knew the answer to that.

As if it had perfectly understood her intentions, the dog barked and moved a little to the side so it was completely blocking the path to each other.

Katniss scowled.

"I'm getting him back one way or another." she warned.

What she needed was to buy Effie time to figure out how to vanish that thing. She needed time and Peeta safe and that meant the dog had to go down somehow.

She couldn't kill him.

It didn't mean she couldn't…

The dog's growl dropped another octave, as if he knew perfectly well what she was thinking and didn't like it one bit.

"He's mine." she growled right back. "And I'm getting him back. So _back off_ , whatever you are."

She flexed her fingers on the hilt of her knife. It was a good knife. None of the engraved _shit_ Effie kept, it was sturdy with a weathered leather grip made slightly rough by years of sweaty palms handling it. Haymitch had grumbled something about it having belonged to another of his Slayer when he had given it to her. She wasn't sure which one but whoever it was had clearly treasured the blade and Katniss had promised herself she would take good care of it. It _was_ a good knife.

"Katniss, don't…" Peeta begged. "I don't want to… Just… Run away… I don't want to hurt you… I don't want…"

More nonsense.

Unfortunately, the dog took that as its cue to _attack_.

She dove under him when he leaped, finding herself next to Peeta. Up close, he didn't look any better than from afar, maybe even worse. She didn't let herself watch him too closely, she whirled around, ready for the next attack…

The dog had turned around and was snarling again but it didn't try to bite or flung itself at her throat.

And it finally dawned on her that its behavior was _weird_.

She didn't understand magic, not at all, but she understood _animals_. And whatever that dog was, it wasn't behaving like it should. It looked rabid. It had looked rabid from the first time she had caught sight of it through her bedroom's window – and maybe it had been the fact that Effie was standing on the edge of a gaping hole in her house with the beast clearly trying to get past her and back inside again, _maybe_ she hadn't seen or looked further than the fact that the witch was in danger but…

It had been growling and using its claws in that street…

 _Except it was three times the size of any of them and if it had wanted them dead chances were they_ would _be_ …

How had Peeta gone that far into the woods for that matter?

She knew he was strong and she knew he was capable but that dog looked like it could beat up a jaguar in a race…

She knew animals.

This _wasn't_ an animal.

"What do you want?" she asked.

She made the mistake of looking at it in the eyes and, for a second, her breath caught in her throat.

His eyes were blue. Not just _any_ blue. The same shade as Peeta's. Worse, she knew, she knew _deep deep down_ , that those were human eyes. _Peeta's eyes_.

And the fur…

She couldn't say for sure in the woods' darkness but she thought the fur was the exact color of Peeta's hair and…

"Peeta, what the _fuck_ did you do?" she whispered, not really expecting an answer.

The dog growled and Katniss tentatively lowered her knife a little, letting herself relax from her fighting stance, ready to react at the smallest sign of aggression. When it _still_ didn't attack, she slowly reached down for Peeta's shoulder.

"Don't…" he said. "I don't… Stay away from me… I'm a monster… I'm…"

"Can you shut up for five minutes while I save your life?" she grumbled.

"I want to keep you safe…" Peeta muttered, his head rolling, his cheek falling on the back of her hand. He sounded completely out of it. "I want… You've got to get away from me… You've got…"

The dog moved so fast Katniss barely had time to react. She kept her hold on her knife, braced herself for the fall that still sucked the air out of her lungs and ended up with what felt like a _truck_ pinning her to the ground. There was a root digging in her back and that would leave a bruise but, more concerning, there was also a huge powerful jaw full of fangs on either side of her throat.

The teeth grazed her skin but didn't rip it apart.

Time froze.

Peeta was whimpering and moaning in pain against his tree, clearly trying to reach her but failing…

Katniss didn't understand why the beast wasn't finishing her.

Or, rather, she was starting to understand a little too well.

"You won't hurt me." she forced herself to say, her voice far more certain than she felt. She couldn't betray any fear. The beast would sense it. "You would never hurt anyone."

Despite all the alarms in her head telling her she was being reckless and stupid and that she would be the first Slayer to die so stupidly, she placed her empty hand on the dog's front paw. Its fur was soft but thick and the muscles rippled under her hand.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the big jaw let go of her throat and she found herself looking into those eyes that didn't belong on that dog's head.

"You won't hurt me." she said again and, this time, it sounded as much a prayer as a statement.

A huge rough tongue licked the side of her face, leaving an indecent amount of slobber trickling down her cheek, her neck and the lapel of her jacket…

Then the beast moved back and sat down like any huge deadly dog with human eyes would do. Its tail was even wagging a little.

"Good boy." she said after a moment of hesitation.

It looked pleased.

At least until she tried to take another step toward Peeta and the boy completely freaked out. "No, no, no, no… You'll get hurt… You'll get hurt…"

The dog's fur bristled and the growling was menacing…

She wisely stopped where she stood. "Peeta, it's alright."

"No." He shook his head. "No, it's not…"

"Peeta, stop being an idiot." she snapped. "I'm going to come to you now and you're going _to stop_ thinking I'll get hurt or _I will_ get hurt."

She wasn't entirely sure how the whole thing was working, but she was pretty sure it was all connected to his fear. If she was right…

"No…" Peeta continued, shaking his head.

The dog stood up again and Katniss winced.

She didn't want to hurt it any more than she wanted to hurt Peeta but she also couldn't risk him losing control and unconsciously sending the beast at her.

"I'm sorry." she said to the dog as much as to the boy.

She had always been quick but her speed had enhanced since she had become the Slayer. She ran straight at the dog, skidded on her side under its belly, raised the knife… The dog howled when she dug the blade deep in the soft muscles of his inner thigh, sectioning sinew and who knew what else… That should prevent him from following them for a little while.

She didn't stop to think.

She rushed to Peeta while the beast collapsed in a chorus of betrayed whines and growls, tossed him over her shoulder and ran as fast as she could.

She was relatively certain the dog would follow once it managed to pick itself up and wouldn't go after any innocent people. She had to trust Haymitch could handle it if she was wrong and it turned tail and aimed for the town.

She headed straight for an old abandoned cave she had found once. It was next to a stream that she had to waddle knee deep in the water to cross. She was wet, angry at Peeta as much as at herself and exhausted when she finally dropped her friend in the relative shelter of the cave.

Peeta wasn't awake.

She was still concerned he had some kind of fever and then the amount of blood staining his pant leg caught her eyes and her heart stopped beating in her chest.

She had known the wound would transfer to him.

She hadn't known it would be _this_ bad.

It looked as if she had almost sawed his leg off.

°O°O°O°O°

Peeta and the dog _weren't_ anywhere near The Seam, that much became clear after Haymitch's second ride through town.

He had circled the bakery for a while and then the kid's house, half hoping his mother or his father would come out and complain about the noise because he was itching for a fight, but nothing happened. It was The Seam. People knew better than investigating strange noises in the dead of night.

He wouldn't find the boy in town.

With a muttered curse, he turned the bike around telling himself he would head back to the Village and follow the tracks from there. He wasn't as good a hunter as Katniss was but he could keep up with a trail.

The town center was mostly asleep except for the _Cornucopia_. The Seam's only nightclub was always a beacon in the night, it had been for as long as Haymitch could remember. He had spent so many nights in the club with Mabel either stalking vamps or dancing until their legs gave in… _Youth_. How foolish it was.

The parking lot was still full even though it was close to three a.m. and he spotted quite a few of his own students sharing cigarettes outside the club. It made him grate his teeth, ready to bet there were vamps inside already salivating at the prospect of an easy meal.

Another curse and he entered the parking lot, kicking off the bike and taking off the helmet to better scowl at the kids laughing outside. They were shocked to see him there because _obviously_ old people shouldn't have been showing up at nightclubs in their minds. He remembered thinking that way too once.

He wasn't the kind of teacher who harassed students about their behavior, what they choose to put in their bodies, be it alcohol or tobacco, or how responsible they weren't being. Because of that he was deemed _cool_ and he was quite popular.

The teenagers might have been surprised to see him but they weren't actually afraid of repercussions for being out so late on a school night. Not until he started shouting at them and threatening to call their parents.

He waited until they were back in their cars and well on their way home to shook his head and get inside the club itself. He was wasting time and it killed him not to know if Katniss and Peeta were alright but he also could not, in good conscience, _not_ check the club to make sure it was vampire free before heading back.

He hadn't been back in _the Cornucopia_ since his return to the Seam but nothing had changed much inside. It had been redecorated several times since his own teenage years but it still looked slightly shabby. Less than Ripper's bar obviously but…

He walked around the dance floor, gave a wide berth to the bar, too tempted by the prospect of a drink to steady his nerves, and headed straight for the metallic stairs at the back that would take him up to the first floor. Mostly, it was a clutter of small round tables occupied by couples on dates up there. More intimate. He scanned the place but couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.

It wasn't the first time he envied a Slayer's abilities to _sense_ vampires.

There were other things that gave them away and he had become an expert at figuring them out: old-fashioned clothes or haircuts were a dead giveaway – or at least it had been before _vintage_ came back into fashion – the way they moved, the fact that they didn't need to breathe…

It was too dark and he couldn't spot anything alarming.

The only creepy thing on that floor was him staring at young couples.

With a sigh, he turned his back on them and walked to the metallic railing that gave on the ground floor. He surveyed the dance floor, let his eyes trail on the customers around the bar, spared a glare for the awful band playing on stage, gave a cursory look at the tables on the other side of the dance floor…

If the woman hadn't moved at that moment, he would have missed her.

She moved with a feral grace that was far too characteristic to be confused with anything else than a predator's beauty. Her skin was a tanned brown, she had long straight black hair that fell almost to her waist, she had pulled it up in a high ponytail that somehow shimmered under the strobe lights… He only understood why when he spotted the golden brooches. Old-fashioned for sure. More than old-fashion. _Antiqued_.

Like him, she was surveying the rest of the club but when he had been in a hurry, she was taking her time. _Assessing_.

Haymitch made his way down and to her, quick but not too fast. He didn't want to look too eager. He didn't want to give her time to decide she wanted one of the young boys shaking around the dance floor either.

"Can I buy you a drink?" he asked, sneaking up behind her.

She didn't tense or startle but he knew she would have heard his approach. Up close, she was even more stunning. Long dark eyelashes, dark eyes, crimson painted lips… The leather pants were well-worn and the white linen blouse she had on looked like they came straight out from Ancient Egypt but she made it work. He was pretty sure the large solid gold plate around her neck wasn't a replica either.

She was dangerously beautiful. He had always liked dangerous beautiful women. Chaff said he was beyond help on that front.

Her eyes roamed over him, did a double take…

It had been easier to play bait for vampires when he had been younger. They tended to go for young blood full of hormones.

She must have seen something in him though because she smiled.

"You can take me out of this dump." she granted. _Granted_. Not requested, not demanded but _granted_ as if she was making a favor.

There was a small catch to the way she pronounced the words and he decided English wasn't her first language but she had been speaking it long enough that it was close.

For the first time, he reconsidered the wisdom of approaching her. He had been killing vamps since he was a kid and that had made him too cocky sometimes, too certain he could handle himself. He wasn't so sure now that he was right next to her.

She reminded him of Cashmere.

How old was she?

"You've got a name, beautiful?" he asked, leading her toward the back exit with a hand at the small of her back.

He sensed coiled muscles under his palm and made a mental inventory of the weapons he had on him. It was over quickly. He had left the house in a hurry. He had a stake wedged at his belt behind his back, right next to his hunting knife. He was pretty sure there was a small plastic bottle of holy water in his jacket pocket because he had never bothered taking it out in years… That was about it.

"Enobaria." she finally answered once they had crossed the back door's threshold and they were standing in the deserted alley behind the club. "But to you I will be _mistress_."

When she turned back toward him, her beautiful face had melted into ridges, golden eyes and fangs.

On the bright side, if he got out of this alive, he would be able to add a physical description to the Watchers journals…

On the down side, he didn't see _how_ he would get out of this alive.

* * *

 _Now that's what I call being in trouuuble..._


	48. E6: The Inner Monster (8)

8.

* * *

Enobaria lunged and Haymitch dove left without even thinking, rolling down on the floor and back up, his stake in his fist. He adjusted his fighting stance, knowing that if she _was_ one of the legendary Careers – and she _was,_ why would she have lied about her name? – he had zero chances. He could decimate fledglings, he could handle his own against average vampires but vampires sired by a Master who had been alive for centuries? Cashmere had _wiped the floor_ with him and if it hadn't been for his Slayer…

"I've been looking for you." he said when she didn't immediately attack again. She was watching him, her head tilted to the side, intrigued rather than scared. It was hard to say because of the demon face she was rumored to never take off – _clearly_ an overestimation, she _did_ take it off to hunt – but he thought she looked amused.

"Have you?" she retorted in that weird accent of her. "Do you have a death wish?" She tilted her head a little more. "You are older than what I usually go for but there _is_ something about you… You are in luck, I am in need of an army. I might turn you, after all…"

He took an unconscious step back, which only amused her further. "Thanks but no thanks. Name's Haymitch. Rings any bell?"

All the amusement vanished from her demon face. She looked a lot more alert suddenly, a lot more hungry too.

"The Slayer's bastard turned Watchdog. I understand what our master saw in you." she hummed. "You have fire. I will _so_ love extinguishing it."

Her tongue poked at one of her fangs and it was both gross and obscene and still Haymitch found himself twitching in his pants.

 _Thrall_ , a voice warned at the back of his head and he made sure not to meet her eyes again. He could throw off a mild thrall. He had trained himself to. It didn't mean it was a nice experience. And there were no guaranties _her_ thrall was _mild_. Vampires who could hypnotise people were rare but more dangerous than most.

"Why are you here?" he asked, tightening his hold on the stake. "Why now? Why after all this time?"

"It's been foretold." She shrugged as if it was of little consequence. "I'd say ask Gloss but you won't live long enough to meet him. Shall we dance now?"

She was swaying a little from side to side and Haymitch clenched his jaw, focusing all his thoughts on Effie, the way her body felt under his hands, the way his stomach somersaulted when she kissed him soft and slow… He was _so not_ going to fall prey to a thrall. That would be _embarrassing_.

When she pounced, he made a feint to the left and then threw himself to the right, barely managing to land a punch in her plexus that didn't even slow her down. It felt like slamming his fist into a wall.

He felt the familiar ripples of Effie's magic over his skin as her claws glided off his leather sleeves and he slipped free of her grip.

He ran.

He ran without glancing back, slowing down to think or even considering what it would mean for the people left inside the club.

He ran all the way around the nightclub, climbing and jumping over fences with the agility of someone twice younger, aware she was hot on his heels and mysteriously kept tripping on garbage bags… He jumped on his bike and kicked it on with shaky limbs and let the engine roar his way into the night, knowing she would still pursue him and that regardless of whether she had a car or not, she could probably catch up if she applied herself to it.

She was old and powerful and dangerous…

 _Fuck_ but without that luck spell Effie had casted…

He only breathed more easily once the bike shot past the Village's gates. With the cloaking spell in place and if his witch was right, nothing with evil intentions would be able to see the place never mind enter it. He slowed the bike down a little and finally kicked it off in front of his house, his heart hammering hard in his chest, feeling shaky like he had only ever been when he had found himself face to face with Snow himself.

Forcing himself to take deep calming breaths before his heart exploded, he slowly tossed his leg over the bike and dragged his body to his front door. Nobody had bothered locking it, he noticed. A glance in the living-room told him Prim had fallen asleep on the couch and someone, presumably Effie, had tucked her in under a throwaway plaid. He had thought he would find her in the library but it was empty so he kept going all the way to the kitchen.

She must have heard the bike because she looked up immediately.

She had made herself at home and his mind was divided about that. One part of him liked that she was now wearing one of his flannel shirts over her pajamas and that she seemed to be in the process of swallowing up everything sugary in his cupboards while scrolling on her broken IPad. Another part was annoyed at the intrusion, at the assumed notion that she was welcome to behave as if she lived there…

"What happened to you?" she immediately asked, bolting to her feet and rounding the kitchen table so fast he thought she must have teleported.

She looked frightened and when she reached for his cheek, he simply leaned into her palm, too tired to deal with his complex feelings. He must have looked a fright, he figured. He had lost his helmet at some point, which he only realized belatedly was too bad given the reckless speed at which he had been driving. Most of all though, he knew he was white as a sheet and looked terrified.

"Never let me stop you from using that good luck spell ever again." he mumbled. "In fact, I insist on it. Use it all the time. _Fuck_." He escaped her hand and walked around her to the liquor cupboard. He didn't need to look to know she had a disapproving expression on her face but he still poured himself a drink. "Enobaria's in town."

She gasped. " _What_?"

"Yeah." He left it at that. Enough said. He gulped down half his glass of whiskey and finally turned around. "What's with the sugar craving?"

The table was a mess of ripped open cookies packages, half eaten pop tarts and there was a sticky glass with a half empty bottle of coke next to it. She didn't usually drink soda and if she _did_ drink it it was the fuzzy orange kind. She didn't like coke.

And the fact that he knew that about her…

 _Are we still casual?,_ she had asked less than forty-eight hours earlier.

He wished he had a better answer now than _I fucking hope so._

It didn't look casual from where he was standing. Not when he was so tempted to just wrap his arms around her and forget everything else. Not when he had offered her a job only a couple of hours earlier without even checking with Chaff even though opening an agency had sort of been a more or less concrete project of theirs for a while now. Not when he hadn't mentioned her to his best friend, not even once, when he would have usually laughed about screwing a Council member. Not when they had somehow decided to raise kids together without even discussing it properly beforehand. Not when his heart clenched every time she tossed one of those bitchy looks at him.

Not when he could feel himself slipping toward a pool of unwelcomed feelings inside.

Not when he was so terrified of _feeling_ but unable to stop, unable to call it quit and pull the plug.

"I thought I might need the boost of energy." she dismissed. "I will clean up."

"Obviously." he snorted because he couldn't picture her leaving that kind of mess behind her, never mind in someone else's house. He ran his hand over his face. "Did you find how to reverse the spell?"

"Yes." She sighed. "Do you think Katniss has any chance against her?"

He couldn't remember the last time he had been able to have two simultaneous conversations with someone without getting confused. Chaff maybe.

You had to know a person really well to get to that level of…

"No." he answered honestly, choosing to ignore the relationship problem for now. The thought that there were _two other_ vampires as old and powerful didn't bode well. "Walk me through it, I'm gonna be doing the magic tonight. Sugar boost or not."

She reeled back from that first piece of information with barely a blink. "There is nothing we can do. It has to be Peeta."

"Then write me the spell and I'm gonna get it to him." he ordered, finishing his glass in one go.

She shook her head and leaned against the table, folding her arms in front of her chest. "It is not that easy, Haymitch."

Of course.

When was it ever?

°O°O°O°O°

Katniss hated blood.

She truly, _really_ , hated blood.

Human blood, that was. She didn't have any problem with getting fish or animals ready for supper. But human blood…

Her hands were covered with it as she struggled to secure a tourniquet around Peeta's thigh. The sight of his mangled leg was enough to make her stomach churn again and again. There was a chorus of _what have I done_ echoing around her spinning head, her ears were ringing and she was pretty sure if she opened her mouth she would puke. The leg looked half cut off.

She struggled to get her phone out of her pocket as soon as she had finished making sure he wouldn't bleed to death. She needed Effie. Badly. It was possible she needed an ambulance even. Would the witch be able to heal _that_? She had looked ready to collapse earlier and…

No signal.

She bit down on her bottom lip, wiped her sweaty brow with her forearm and considered her options. She could leave Peeta and try to find some place with coverage so she could call for help. She was reasonably sure the dog wouldn't hurt him – she wasn't so sure it wouldn't come after her now but that was a risk she was willing to take. The problem was the woods were thrumming with dark creatures and vampires and the scent of Peeta's blood…

If she left him to get help only to come back and find his corpse…

"Katniss…"

Her gaze darted back to his face and she dropped the phone, crawling closer to his side. "Peeta. Peeta, how do you feel?"

 _Fuck_ , it was such a stupid question…

His blue eyes were less blank than before but he wasn't entirely lucid either. "You've got to go… Dangerous…"

She grabbed his hand and rubbed it between hers because it felt cold.

"You're not dangerous." she snapped firmly. "Stop saying that. Stop _thinking_ that."

He searched her face for a moment but she wasn't certain he was even seeing her.

"Almost killed my mom…" he mumbled. "Earlier… I…"

"She probably deserved it." she spat. And she wasn't certain she wasn't going to finish that woman off anyway. She was burning to do it. To put an end to anything that threatened _her family_.

"I'm dangerous…" he repeated and his voice broke. "I'm…"

"You're _not_." she cut him off. "Peeta, you're the _best_ person I know. Save for Prim."

It was a high compliment coming from her and it left him a little stunned. He stared at her hard, his fingers twitching between her hands…

"I just… I wanted to be safe…" he explained, his face crunching in pain. "I didn't want… Effie got hurt…"

"Effie's gonna be fine." she dismissed.

"But it proves it, don't you see?" he muttered. "The dog's my inner monster… It…"

"It's terrified of hurting people." she finished for him firmly, rubbing his hand harder. That was her theory at least. "It attacked me because I tried to get close to you and because you think you're somehow going to hurt me. Because you're _that_ stupid." She scowled at him. "It attacked Effie because she tried to come between the two of you. It attacked us for the same reason. It's not trying to _hurt us_ , Peeta, it's trying to keep everyone _away from you_. We'd all be dead otherwise."

"No…" Peeta shook his head. "It was supposed to…"

"I don't care what it was supposed to do." she interrupted. "If _that_ 's your inner monster then I'm safer with you than with anyone else. It could have _ripped my throat off_ , Peeta, _it licked my cheek_ instead. That's how dangerous you are to me."

He watched her, confused and scared and in pain.

She wasn't sure how much of the conversation he was truly following.

With a sigh, she leaned closer until their foreheads were pressed together. His breath stuck in his throat and then he let out a long one. It was warm against her lips.

"Why can't you see yourself like I see you?" she whispered. "You're the best of us. Why don't you _see_ that?"

"I'm…" he countered and then stopped and licked his lips.

"You're a good person." she argued. "You're the boy who left bread in my locker when I couldn't find food to feed my sister. You're… _You're the best person I know._ " She closed her eyes and tried not to notice how clammy and warm his skin felt against her forehead. She was scared suddenly that the wounds were too serious, that she had only made it worse by attacking the dog's leg, that… She was scared that… "You're not going to die. I forbid it. All right?"

"All right." he whispered but it sounded faint.

She drew back a little, framed his face in her hands… His eyelids were fluttering close…

She wasn't sure what made her do it.

There was an ugly, terrible knot of dread in her ribcage, pushing on her lungs, keeping her from breathing normally… This ugly, terrible feeling that he was dying, that…

She crushed his mouth under hers.

As far as kisses went, it wasn't good – not that she had much of a frame of reference – a simple press of lips against lips. No finesse. No skill. Nothing that…

It startled him into opening his eyes. He blinked hard, staring at her with such adoration that it made a lump appear in her throat. He looked at her as if she was the sun and the moon and stars and she could vaguely remember her father looking at her mother like that and her mother looking just as enamored and it was just so…

She leaned back in ever so slowly, hesitant, unsure…

The sound of displaced pebbles made her look up but not in time.

This was why she hated emotional entanglements. She had been too distracted. She hadn't been paying attention.

There were three vampires standing in the opening of the cave and she barely had time to jump over Peeta to bodily shield him before they attacked. She didn't have any opportunity to reach for her bow and she wouldn't have had enough range to use it anyway. She felt for her stake but before she could take it out, she was engaged in a fight that shouldn't have been as complicated or hopeless as it felt.

It wasn't that they were particularly strong vampires, it was that her main objective was to keep them away from Peeta's helpless body. She twisted and punched and kicked, rolled, jumped and crouched… All to herd the vampires away from him.

She took a particularly vicious hit to the chin that, she was sure, almost broke her jaw but instead of wallowing in the pain, she used the momentum to get her stake free from her belt. Fangs dug in the meat of her shoulder, tearing the leather of her father's jacket…

"Oh, no you didn't!" she snapped, enraged because this jacket was one of the very few things she had left of him.

She dispatched that particular vampire but the other tricked her and suddenly, before the cloud of dust had even settled, one was at her back keeping her trapped in a choke hold and the other one was getting dangerously close to her throat…

There was a rush of adrenaline as she elbowed the one behind her right before the other one could bite her… She was in hot water and she knew it though.

The snarling took her aback for a second because she hadn't known vampires could make that sound.

And then the one that had just kicked her in the stomach was snatched away by a huge clawed paw. Katniss barely had time to register the surprise on his demonic face before the dog literally bit his head off. It seemed disgruntled to find itself with a mouth full of dust but it didn't let that stop it. It jumped right next to Katniss, his back leg trailing after it, useless and bloody.

She didn't need its help though. One foe, she could manage by herself.

The vampire didn't even see the stake before it was deep in his chest and she let the piece of wood clatter to the ground once he was dust. She skidded to her knees next to Peeta, worried by how pale he looked. And that was without mentioning the small puddle of blood underneath him.

"Peeta!"

He was fighting to keep his eyes open and they were staring at the huge dog that was half-heartedly snarling at her. When she tried to grab him, thinking she would just carry him up until she got a signal on her phone and _hope_ he wouldn't die in the process, the dog's fur bristled and he growled a lot more menacingly.

"Oh, for…" she mumbled under her breath. She stood up, studied the dog and then took a leap of faith. Her guts were telling her Peeta would never harm her in any shape or form. She headed straight for the beast who watched her warily but without any blatant trace of hostility. She didn't let herself hesitate when she tossed her arms around its huge thick neck. "I'm not afraid of you. I'll never be afraid of you. You'll never hurt me. You're good and loyal and if this is your inner monster then we're all very safe with you. You're not second best for Gale and you belong with us. With _me_. And I'm not leaving you behind. _Ever_. So get that into your thick skull and let me save your ass."

"Kat…" Peeta breathed behind her.

For a second, she thought it was more stupid warnings about how he would hurt her. But then the dog let out a content sigh and she almost stumbled because suddenly she wasn't holding on to anything. The beast was gone. Simply _gone_.

She didn't waste time trying to understand the why or the how. Magic was always overly complicated.

She grabbed Peeta, ignoring his pained whimpers, picked up the bloodied phone from the ground and she ran as fast as her legs would take her.

* * *

 _Cliiiiiffhanger._

 _Double one because I need to warm you there won't be an update next week-end. I won't be around much because my best friend is visiting and it's been ages since we've seen each other so I don't really want to stress about schedule and posting. So next chapter on the 27th. Sorry for the inconvenience. :/_

 _I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Let me know your thoughts!_


	49. E6: The Inner Monster (9)

9.

* * *

"I don't like it." Haymitch grumbled for what must have been the hundredth time.

Effie pulled the designer jeans higher on her thighs, hopping a little to get them all the way up and wriggling this way and that to get comfortable in them. Not quite the sexiest look. She wished he had remained in the bedroom but that would have been considerate and Haymitch was not a particularly considerate person.

"So you said." she deadpanned. "Repeatedly."

When she had announced her intention to go back out with him to look for the children, he had not been happy. He had followed her all the way back to her house and right into her walk-in closet.

"Effie, you can't be doing more magic." he insisted.

"And I won't unless it is _absolutely_ necessary." she retorted. Her hands flew to the lapels of the flannel shirt she had borrowed from his dresser and then, instead of taking it off like had been her intention, she buttoned it all the way up. She had intended to swap it for something warmer but she liked the feeling of his shirt against her skin. I was comforting. "I told you. Peeta needs to _accept_ what he perceives to be his inner monster. He might need me to talk him through it. I am coming with you. End of story."

Haymitch was glaring.

She took a second to appreciate how much stormier it made his grey eyes look. She did not let herself appreciate the rest too much.

Because he was not a man who made the same mistakes twice, he had geared up before leaving his house and he was now a walking armada. There was a sword swung over his left shoulder, the hilt poking out next to his head, stakes were strapped to his thighs, his knife was wedged in his old combat boots… The leather jacket only made the whole package more appealing.

He looked just good enough to eat and if the circumstances had been different…

"I've known a lot of _fucking_ stubborn women and you're _worse_ than them all." he accused.

"Given who the women in question were, I will take that as a compliment." she retorted, grabbing a jacket from the rack. She didn't even check the color wouldn't clash with the shirt. They were in a hurry. She was anxious to get to Peeta.

"It wasn't." he snapped. "Those girls were bad enough but if you were one of my Slayers…"

She crouched down to push on a white rectangular molding panel under her shoes collection. The hidden compartment shot out and she contemplated the assortment of common weapons she rarely used. She _did_ prefer her enchanted weapons. Against vampires though… Sometimes classic was the only way to go.

"First of..." she cut him off. She grabbed as many stakes as she could carry, a few bottles of holy water and a wooden cross before pushing the hidden drawer back in place. "I am _not_ one of your Slayers and you are _not_ the boss of me. Secondly, I am not a _girl_ who needs your guidance. And thirdly, I am supposed to be in charge now or have you already forgotten?"

Not that Coin's word had a real impact down there but…

She was getting back to her feet when he suddenly grabbed her arm and hauled her up. Before she could blink she was pinned to the wall by his hips, one of his legs between hers, his forearm perpendicular to her throat. He could have crushed her pipe if he had applied pressure but she thought the choke hold was more a reflex than a real threat because she could barely feel his arm against her throat and he took it away almost immediately.

"As fun as this might be, we do not have time." she purred. It was more irritated than amused though.

He was more irritated than amused too.

"You're reckless." he accused for the second time that night.

"I am _anything_ but." she hissed. "You are being stupid. I got lightheaded earlier but I am fine now. I have been doing magic since before I could walk, Haymitch, trust me when I say I know what I _can_ and _cannot_ do." She tilted her head to the side and shot him a challenging look. "Either I am a powerful witch or I am not, at some point you will have to choose. Which is it?"

She didn't believe it herself. She still thought the idea was ludicrous and more frightening than it was worth. But…

He scowled, anger and helplessness fighting on his face. "You're a pain in _my ass_."

"Kinky." she remarked calmly, batting her eyelashes.

She truly thought he was going to start shouting. He let out a deep breath and leaned his forehead against hers instead. "Just… Be careful."

 _Don't want to bury you_.

The words had sent a chill down her spine earlier, mostly because he had truly meant them. He had buried all the women he had ever cared for save from Mags. She could understand where the apprehension was coming from, all the more so given how the Lachnoc demon had affected him…

"I can safely promise you I will do my utmost best to survive no matter the cost." she whispered. "You do not need to concern yourself with me. You should focus solely on Katniss."

"Yeah. I _should_ , right?" he scoffed and finally moved away from her. She immediately missed the warmth of his body and she couldn't help the shiver when he muttered the rest. "This was the worst idea ever. _Fucking_ temptation."

She wasn't sure he had meant to say that much aloud and she wasn't sure what she ought to answer.

They needed to have a talk about their not-so-casual relationship, she figured. A _real_ one. But now was not the time. Now they needed to save the two thirds of their children.

Her phone started ringing before she could tell him they needed to get a move on.

"Katniss." she said for his benefits after having checked the ID before immediately swiping to accept the call. "Did you find him?"

" _Need help."_ the girl demanded, breathless. _"Peeta's hurt bad. Meet me at the fountain."_

Effie's blood ran cold. "I am on my way." She carelessly slid the phone in the back pocket of her jeans and met Haymitch's anxious eyes. "Peeta is hurt. Will you insist I do _not_ do magic now?"

"It's never been about you _not_ doing magic." he spat. "Don't twist my words. I'm just worried…"

"Well, now you have reasons to." she retorted, heading downstairs.

They started jogging down the stairs and they ran all the way to the lonely fountain that stood near the desolate entrance of the Village. They arrived first and she didn't miss the way Haymitch scanned the dark night outside of the metal gates, his hand hovering on the stake strapped to his thigh…

"Even if she is out here, she cannot get in." Effie reminded him, a little less aggravated. "She would not even be able to see us."

His meeting with Enobaria had clearly shaken him.

"She has a thrall." he said quietly. And he hadn't told her _that_ before. Vampires who could weave a thrall were rare but dangerous. "You can throw one off?"

She hesitated and then shook her head. "I never had causes to try."

"I can. Snow had a thrall too." he added after a loaded pause. "I don't like any of this _shit_ , sweetheart. I can _taste_ upcoming disaster."

There was a crash in the overgrown bushes in a yard to their right that prevented her from answering. They both whirled in that direction at the exact same second, Haymitch pulling out his stakes and Effie slipping one of hers free with her left hand and lighting a fireball in her right.

Katniss' face appeared, looking pale and ragged under the unflattering glow of the lamplights. She still looked better than the boy tossed across her shoulders. She ran a little hunched over and carefully put him down at their feet. Effie was already kneeling down to inspect the damages.

"The dog?" Haymitch asked, scanning the darkness behind the girl. He was still in fighting stance, ready to give them cover…

"Gone." Katniss coughed, sweaty and out of breath. She let herself fall down to the ground and grabbed Effie's wrist. "Save him."

Effie's throat was closing though as she assessed the state the boy was in. There was a bad gaping wound on his side, the shoulder was hurt and, worst of all, the leg. The leg looked almost torn off and it was a miracle he hadn't already bled out.

She could heal small gashes. She could heal bruises. She could…

She looked up at Haymitch, helpless and terrified like she had rarely ever been. He read her like a book and dropped to his knees next to her, his stakes slipping out of his fingers. He reached for Peeta and then seemed to think better of it and placed his hand on her shoulder instead.

"We can call 911." he said calmly but the calm in his voice sounded far too fake.

"Too late." she answered. "They won't get here in time. That leg…"

"It's my fault." Katniss cut in. "I had to… I had to get past the dog somehow and… I should have understood sooner but…" The girl shook her head and hugged herself, half-glaring at Effie with tears in her eyes. " _Heal him_. Use your magic."

"I won't have enough." Effie whispered. "Even if I burn it all…" But did it matter? She took a steadying breath. "Alright. _Alright_ , let's try."

"Use me." Haymitch offered. "Don't have much power, no real one, but… Take it. You can do that, yeah? Tap into it."

What Haymitch had in terms of magical powers was equivalent to the flickering flame of a candle. It wasn't enough by far.

She shook her head and pressed her left hand in the ground, digging her fingers in the dry earth. "I will use Earth magic. And if I don't have enough there is always…"

"No." Haymitch cut her off. "Not that. _Ever_. One taste is all it takes, Effie. No. Price's too high."

Katniss' gaze was darting from one to the other but, in the end, she didn't ask. She grabbed Peeta's hand and held it trapped in hers. "Please, save him."

"There's no price too high." she countered for Haymitch's benefit. "You should keep a knife ready though."

Because if she had to do what she _truly_ didn't want to do… If she had to tap into the Hellmouth's corruptive magic… There was no foretelling what she would become. She had seen a glimpse of it when the fear demon had clawed his way into her heart.

"Like hell." he spat.

She laughed but it was a frightened little sound. Then she closed her eyes and focused before Peeta could slip away from them. She put her right hand on his forehead and she… _Pushed_.

She quickly reached the limit of what her powers could do. She tried to focus on the leg but the wound was extreme. She was pretty sure that, medically, the only thing to do at that point would have been to cut it off properly. It was mangled almost beyond repair.

He was too weak.

The spell he had cast earlier had cost him like a first spell always did, never mind one _that_ ambitious. His body had taken the toll of that.

She reached deep within the Earth for the familiar tendrils of magic, ignoring the dark sticky ones of the Hellmouth for now, power flooded into her and she channeled it directly into the boy's body. She couldn't heal him yet but she could make him a little stronger, ease the fever… She felt the wound on his side closing. Not enough to entirely heal but it would be good enough for now. It stopped bleeding…

 _She_ was bleeding.

Her nose and her ears.

She felt it trickling down her upper lip and her neck.

She felt Haymitch's arms come around her, supporting her…

She reached into him because she needed more power and he had offered. But it was barely a drop when she needed an ocean…

" _Shit_." he groaned, his arms tightening like steel bars around her stomach.

She let him go.

Not enough.

Not enough.

But Peeta was less pale and his breathing had eased.

By her estimation they had gained some time. A few minutes, not much more but…

She poured more into him, aware that she was supplementing her magic with her own vital strength, but what else could she do but…

"Stop." Haymitch suddenly ordered. "Effie, _stop_. Right now."

She obeyed, almost relieved, and sagged into his arms, breathing hard.

"What are you doing?" Katniss asked. Her voice had a hinge of hysteria to it. "What are you doing? You can't stop! He's not okay yet! You can't stop!"

"It's killing her!" Haymitch snarled.

"And he's dying!" the Slayer shot back.

Haymitch immediately softened but his arms remained strong around Effie. "He looks a little better. We're gonna call for an ambulance and…"

"He'll lose the leg." Effie mumbled between long deep breaths. "I need to finish."

"The only thing you're gonna finish off is yourself." Haymitch replied and then sighed and then… Then she felt his nose against her nape and she figured he had rested his forehead against the back of her head. "We need better options than you killing yourself or you turning into a Hellmouth black witch."

She could taste iron on her tongue and it took a moment to realize she had bitten the inside of her cheeks.

"Options." she repeated blankly, tuning out Katniss who was screaming at them to do _something_ , anything.

 _I've got a theory. But you ain't gonna like it. I've been reading up on Lachnoc demons… They create illusions, exploit latent fears… But they can't create the kind of power you've been showing, sweetheart. Losing control of your magic, the Hellmouth thing… Seems legit. But there's no way the demon increased your power._

It had terrified her when he had said that.

And now…

Now…

"Alright." she whispered. "Alright…"

She closed her eyes, tried to imagine a bubble around her mind like Caesar had taught her even though she still despised _trances_ , and once she had successfully more or less isolated herself from the outside world, she took a good look deep down.

She had never let herself do that.

In her opinion, there were risks in looking at yourself a little too closely.

She found her power. In her head, it was a pulse of light right in her belly. It wasn't _literally_ there of course, but that was how she liked to think about it. It was small and reliable. Not too bright, not too hot. Average by every aspect for a witch.

She embraced it.

She was still scared, had always been scared, because if this was a ball of light, she had always imagined her mother's power would be a pool of dark sticky liquid and she had always suspected that under that bright light, she might have a lake of darkness of her own.

But she would _drown_ in a lake of darkness to save that boy.

She would do _anything_ to save that boy.

She embraced the light and held it tight until she faded within its entirely safe limits and _there_ …

There was no pool of dark sticky liquid, no lake full of darkness…

Only light.

An ocean of it.

Golden light as far as she could see. _Feel_.

Golden light that filled her up.

Not just a ball in her stomach but a gentle stream slowly filling her whole body.

Power.

Raw power.

Hidden in plain sight.

And it wasn't so scary anymore because…

"Warm and tingly like a kiss…" she whispered, opening her eyelids.

She knew they were glowing gold.

Then she dipped into Earth magic again with her left hand and pushed everything she had at Peeta and the night was pierced by the golden halo of her body. Her head fell back, her mouth opened in a silent shout… Distantly, she could see Katniss gaping at her, she could hear Haymitch muttering encouraging praises in her ear, she could feel Peeta's heartbeat becoming stronger...

Flesh and muscles and sinews and nerves mending themselves.

She felt the strain.

Of course, she felt the strain, she was powerful but that did not make her a goddess, but she kept going until she was sure the leg would stay attached and the worst he would feel was a temporary ache in his body. Once she was certain he was safe, she dropped the healing spell.

She hadn't meant to drop _herself_ in the process but it was good Haymitch was still holding her.

He gently lowered her to the ground as Peeta sat up with a gasp. She watched Katniss jump on him, tossing her arms around his neck only to draw back and punch his arm. Peeta looked dizzy but he didn't have time to protest because then the girl was hugging him again and crying a little and it was all so…

A calloused palm cupped her cheek and suddenly there was a face hovering over hers and she smiled because…

"Do you know…" she giggled. "I think I might be in lo…"

Another hand covered her mouth before she could say it.

Haymitch looked partly relieved, partly worried. " _I_ think you might be very high right now so best not make stupid declarations."

 _High_. Perhaps she was. She had never done drugs but… It felt like a high. A magical high.

She poked his palm with her tongue and he slowly took his hand away, brushing her blond hair back.

"I have power after all." she said, sounding almost puzzled.

"Told you." he triumphed.

"Rude." she commented because a gentleman should never rub a lady's nose in her mistake.

He chuckled but it was strained. "You're not gonna end up in another coma, yeah? I don't need to get you to a hospital?"

She blinked at him and slowly sat up. "I don't think so. I've never felt better."

She was… _energized._ Her body was thrumming with life. And power. Like a sponge full of liquid. Which must have been the worst metaphor ever and made her laugh for five minutes straight.

Everyone was staring at her, she knew, but she didn't care.

"To bed with you." Haymitch finally sighed and lifted her up.

"Bed, yes. Wonderful idea." she hummed. She waited until he had her in a safe bridal hold and Katniss was helping Peeta to his own feet to suck his earlobe in her mouth. "I _want_ you."

He jerked his head away from her and tossed her a mild glare. "Behave."

She pouted but settled back with her head on his shoulder, content to watch the children for now. Katniss was helping Peeta, his arm stretched across her shoulders… The boy looked worse for the wear, _confused_ , but Effie knew he would be alright after he had some sleep. If the girl ever let him get some. She seemed intent on lecturing him well into the night and he gazed at her with open love.

She only _wished_ Haymitch would ever look at her like that…

* * *

 _Well... It was close, wasn't it? What do you think will change now? Will everlark be less awkward? Will Effie become evil? Will Haymitch get some fucking rest? XD You tell me what you think!_


	50. E6: The Inner Monster (10)

10.

* * *

"Maybe we should go to school." Peeta suggested from where he was lying on Haymitch's couch, distractedly doodling on a notepad. "We missed first period but we could…"

"What's the point?" Katniss cut him off. "You've got a headache and I'm sleep deprived."

He _did_ have a headache.

Haymitch had taken one look at him that morning at breakfast and had snorted something about magical hangover and how it served him right. Then, before Peeta could grovel properly and apologize for hours like he had done with Katniss, the Watcher had slipped out to nail a tarpaulin across the hole in the side of Effie's house so her living-room wouldn't be damaged by the weather or wandering wild animals. After that, Haymitch had clasped his shoulder once, had ordered him to stay put and had gone to work.

He had fully expected a lecture but Prim had told him cheerfully that the lecture would probably come from Effie. Katniss' sister was the only one who had seen the witch that morning because she was the only one who had bothered to get up on time to get ready for school.

"Do you think Effie's really angry?" He made a face and added cartoon eyes to the vague shape of a cat he had been sketching. Buttercup wasn't exactly a good model for serious drawing. He kept switching positions. Peeta wasn't really in the mood for serious drawing anyway.

"Prim said she was still hyper when she saw her so... Who knows…" Katniss shrugged.

She was sitting on the floor right in front of the couch, so close he could have brushed his fingers against her dark braid if he had just moved one inch to the side. She was flicking pages of old musty books she wasn't actually truly reading in hope the words _Reaping_ would jump at her from the paper. He had offered to help but he hadn't been able to read more than two paragraphs before his head had started throbbing something fierce.

He felt a nervous flutter when he thought about what Effie was doing – Haymitch hadn't elaborated too much on the matter in front of the girls but the fact that she had departed for the bakery without waiting for him to wake up was telling – and he wasn't sure he liked the thought of a superpowered witch confronting his parents.

Apparently, although he had been too out of it to realize it the previous night, Effie had been unable to even sit down for _hours_ after she had healed him. She had been roaming the house, talking nonstop, laughing loudly, waking Prim and Katniss up every time they managed to doze off… It had lasted right up until Haymitch had tossed her over his shoulder and had carried her to her own house so she wouldn't bother any of them anymore.

"She was glowing _gold_?" he asked again because Katniss had caught him up on almost everything he had missed while he had been busy dying – with a lot of cursed words and quite a few punches to his arm; hence the numerous apologies.

"She looked like an angel or something." she sighed and then tossed him a glare over his shoulder. "Don't tell her I said that." She made a face. "It was more like an avenging angel anyway. Pretty but deadly. I really don't get why you like magic so much."

That was delivered with another glare and he winced again. He let himself slid off the couch until he could sit cross-legged next to her. "I'm sorry. I just wanted…"

"I know what you wanted." she grumbled, her lips pursed. "You were being _stupid_." He bowed his head in genuine contrition and apologized again. Katniss softened a little, tossing the book she had been skimming on the coffee table. "There's one good thing at least. You're going to stay here with us now. You don't have to see that horrible woman again."

"That horrible woman's my mom." he countered, not as loudly as he meant to.

So many things had happened in the last twelve hours that when he let himself think about it, he found his head spinning.

He had pushed his mother down the stairs.

He had almost died.

 _Effie_ had almost died.

"Moms aren't all they're cracked up to be." Katniss replied, staring straight ahead. "Sometimes it's better to have someone who _actually_ wants to take care of you. Not just _has_ to."

He thought he understood what she meant.

Effie had almost died.

 _To save him_.

He was pretty sure his own mother wouldn't have bothered giving him CPR and Effie had gone above and beyond because…

"That fear demon made a number on me." he confessed, swallowing hard. "I've always been scared that I would turn out like her, you know. And now…"

"Now you know you won't." Katniss declared firmly, studying him hard as if she suspected he would grab another magic book the moment she turned her back and try another spell.

"Now I know you believe in me so I can't be that bad." he joked.

It was tentative.

His memories of the previous night were vague but he was pretty sure he remembered what happened in the cave.

He was pretty sure she had kissed him.

She stared at him and he wondered if she would actually confront the elephant in the room or, even better, if she would lean across the ridiculous lack of space between them and do it again. He was breathing faster than he should and his head was still hurting but he felt so _alive_ and…

Her grey eyes darted to his mouth and back up and for a moment he thought _this is it_.

Then she flushed red, cleared her throat and grabbed the book again. "Good."

And that was that.

He leaned back against the couch and slowly pressed his thigh against hers in something that could _absolutely_ have been an accident - and he would _profusely_ apologize for invading her space if… She pressed her leg back against his.

Peeta's mouth stretched into a smile. He felt so happy he could have walked on clouds, nothing could touch him, he was…

The sound of the front door opening and closing followed by the very telltale clicks of high heels on the battered floorboards dashed his sudden elation. He sat up straighter and stared at the living-room threshold with wide eyes. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt that apprehensive to be confronted by an authority figure. He had long since stopped caring about his parents' approval but ever since he had met Haymitch and Effie…

The Art teacher had clearly seen better days.

She was wearing a forest green dress that was positively dull compared to her usually bright clothes. He barely noticed the large navy blue belt fitting it at the waist or the matching heels, her hair was loose and tousled in wild curls that didn't do anything to hide the weariness on her face despite the liberal amount of make-up she had applied.

If she had been hyper when she had left, she had now come down from her high - either because it had been long enough since the magic rush or because of whatever had transpired between her and his parents. She didn't look any less energetic than usual though – which meant that she could only be compared to a hurricane.

"Katniss, dear, would you mind giving us some privacy?" she said a little tersely.

He wanted to object that he would tell Katniss everything anyway but before he could say any of that, the girl had bolted to her feet, clearly eager to escape an uncomfortable situation.

"Do you feel better?" the Slayer asked hesitantly on her way out of the room.

"Quite, thank you." The witch's smile was strained but she squeezed the girl's shoulder with genuine affection when she walked past her. "I am heading to work after I had a little chat with Peeta if you want a lift to school."

Katniss nodded. "Yeah, sure. Thanks. I'll get my stuff."

 _What had happened to being sleep deprived?_ he wondered. He _had_ suspected she was only there to babysit him on Haymitch's order…

He scrambled back up onto the couch when Effie came closer, not quite able to meet her eyes.

"I'm sorry." he said before she could even sit down next to him. "I'm really, _really_ sorry. I know I was stupid to do that spell and I shouldn't have tried to do magic and…" And he wasn't sure how to finish this sentence so he let it trail off for a moment. "I'm sorry."

He chanced a glance at her.

She didn't look furious. His mother would already have looked furious and he would already have been dodging heavy things tossed at his head but Effie looked calm if a little aloof. Her lips were slightly pursed but not as much as when Haymitch was annoying her.

"I have to say I _am_ disappointed." she stated.

She didn't raise her voice. She didn't shout. She didn't try to hit him.

And yet he felt something _crumble_ inside his chest and there was the stupid prickle of tears in his eyes because… It was perhaps the worst thing she could have said to him.

"I'm sorry." he said again. What else could he do but apologize? He had wasted everyone's whole night, he had put not only himself but all of them in jeopardy, he had…

"I know you are." She sighed and her voice softened a little. "But, Peeta, you _have_ to understand that what you did could have turned out a lot more differently. It could have been another spell. You could have killed yourself in the attempt. You could have killed us all." She let the words sink and when he looked down at the hands he was twisting on his lap in shame, she reached out and squeezed them. "I know you did not mean any harm. You were hurting and you sought the closest outlet to relieve that pain and, as Haymitch so _nicely_ reminded me this morning, I am partly to blame for leaving you in a room full of magic books."

"You trusted me." he whispered, his voice strangled. "And I destroyed that."

"I _did_ trust you to be _responsible_. I should have remembered you are sixteen and I was not myself always trustworthy at that age no matter how much I loved my guardian." she sighed, amusement creeping in her voice. "What you did was positively _tame_ compared to some of the stunts I pulled. Still… Peeta, I _must_ stress this… Magic should _never_ be used as casually as you used it last night.

He nodded meekly. "I'm never doing magic again. I promise."

"Well, that's disappointing. I was rather hoping to _teach you_." she huffed and he looked up at her with a frown.

"What?" he croaked.

Her lips stretched in a small smile and she lost some of her stern expression. Her blue eyes were twinkling with their usual spark. "You would not have been able to make that spell work if you did not have some talent for witchcraft. At best, the beast would have gotten loose and eaten everyone in sight." She waved her hand in the air and if her fingers were shaking a little, he pretended not to notice. "This is where you went wrong: you did not research the spell, you did not make sure you had the strength to control it, you did not make sure the source was even reliable and you did not check in with me first. If you are to do magic, you will do it _responsibly_ or _not at all_. Are we clear?"

His heart was beating so fast he could have sworn there were tiny lights dancing in front of his eyes.

"I thought… I thought you'd be so angry you'd want me to clear out of your house." he stuttered.

But she wanted to teach him _magic_ instead?

"Your familial situation is another thing we need to discuss." she acknowledged and even the dread of that upcoming conversation wasn't enough to douse the excitement of her offer to _teach him magic._ "And it is actually _not_ _unrelated_ to the magic problem. You showed some talent, as I said, which usually goes hand in hand with power." She lifted her hand. "Do _not_ get your hopes up. Raw talent is only that and you are still very young. Do not expect to be all powerful in a couple of days. This sort of thing needs to be built up and, even then, I am not promising that you will turn out to be an extremely powerful witch. Nevertheless, I would feel better if you had formal training and that requires being nearby."

"Why witch and not wizard?" he frowned.

"Wizards are another class entirely. They do not use Earth magic and their ways are… brutal." she answered patiently. "Men are referred as witches too."

"What about warlocks?" he asked next because he had come across the term a few times.

"Warlocks are born from the union of a human and a demon." she explained. "They do not _learn_ magic, they _are_ magic. And not entirely human. Now." She clapped her hands before he could ask more questions. "I know you do not wish to talk about it but we _must_ , darling. I went to see your father this morning."

His excitement _was_ doused then. "Okay."

Effie's fingers were drumming on her thigh. It reminded him of how fidgety Haymitch became when he needed a drink and he wondered just how addictive doing powerful magic was. She had suffered from that when they had been under the Lachnoc demon's spell.

"I respected your wishes concerning the involvement of the police." she told him. "But I am putting my foot down when it comes to where you will be living. It is your choice, ultimately, of course. If you truly wish to go back…"

He winced. "I just don't want to be a burden…"

"You are _not_ and _never_ will be a burden to me or Haymitch. Let that be _crystal clear_ and _please_ do not use that word in reference to yourself." she retorted. "I had a long talk with your father and he agreed it was probably best for you to move out. He also agreed to sign his parental rights over in case your mother got it into her head to cause troubles. My lawyers are drafting the waiver as we speak and a spell or two will ensure it goes through without problem." He didn't ask how she had convinced him that his son would be better off with a virtual stranger than with his own family. His father had always been the first to encourage him to sleep at friends' when his mother was in a mood. His attempt at protecting him. "Now… The choice is for you to make." Effie continued in a lighter tone. "I talked it over with Haymitch on the way back…"

"He's at school." Peeta pointed out with a small frown.

She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. "And if he took that job seriously we would be the first ones to know. His class is watching a documentary as we speak. He was napping, actually, so it was not a great bother for him to answer his phone. _Anyway_ …" She cleared her throat. "As I was saying, the choice is for you to make. You can stay with me or you can stay with him, pick whichever option you will be more comfortable with."

"He's okay with me staying here?" he asked, a little disbelieving.

It was one thing for Effie to offer. She was _kind_.

But Haymitch…

"Peeta, dear, he told you _a thousand times_ you were welcome to stay." she gently reminded him. "I can assure you he means it." Her smile was sweet. "If you want him to become your guardian, he will do it."

 _But Haymitch belonged to Katniss_.

It had been so long since she had had an adult to herself… He couldn't take him away from her. And he found he didn't want to. He loved Haymitch. He _did_. He might even have a bad case of hero worship. But…

It was _Effie_ who had risked her life for his.

"Can it… Can it be you?" he asked, a bit hesitant.

Surprise and emotion flashed on her face before she schooled her features into something neutral again. Her smile was dazzling though. She looked overjoyed and it only cemented the idea that he was making the right choice in his head.

"It would be _my honor."_ She grinned. "Although you might reconsider your decision when I ground you until your majority for the gaping hole in my living-room."

Peeta winced. "I can probably get Dad to pay for the repairs."

Which sounded all kinds of wrong but…

"Oh, darling… We will repair it _ourselves_." she declared. "And what I can't teach you to do with magic, you will help Haymitch fix with a good old hammer and a can of paint."

Peeta couldn't stop himself from beaming. "Does Haymitch know he's going to do that yet?"

Effie didn't bat an eyelash but her lips twitched. "Not quite yet, no."

Peeta chuckled and then it turned into a full laugh and then it turned into something that wasn't _quite_ a sob.

"Are you alright, dear?" she worried, rubbing his shoulder. "I know it is a lot to take in and I know you had a difficult night…"

"Are you kidding?" he half-snorted half-scoffed. "I feel like Hagrid just burst in and told me I was a wizard! I feel like I just got my Hogwarts letter!"

She did bat an eyelash then.

"I am _not quite_ sure I enjoy being compared to _Hagrid_." she deadpanned. "Please, do not _ever_ say that in Haymitch's vicinity or I will _never_ hear the end of it."

Peeta didn't think Haymitch knew who Hagrid was because he was pretty sure he didn't know what _Harry Potter_ was.

"Fine." he chuckled. "Then I feel like I just won a trip in the TARDIS."

"That is more like it." she hummed. "Those doctors are usually quite dashing. I would fit the part much better."

His eyebrows shot up. "You know _Doctor Who_?"

Was it possible his pop culture references would _at last_ be understood by someone?

"Peeta… I have spent most of my life in England…" she teased. "There are three things the British hold sacred: tea, discussing the weather and _Doctor_ _Who_." She was mostly joking though because then she shook her head, her smile still blinding. "I cannot claim to know the show very well. I only caught the occasional episode. It is not quite my cup of tea, shall we say."

Effie Trinket had watched Doctor Who.

It was maybe even more impossible to accept than the idea that vampires were real.

"Thank you." he blurted out abruptly when he realized he hadn't yet. "For last night. And for… For everything. I won't disappoint you again."

"I know, darling. I trust you." She squeezed his shoulder before standing up, less steady on her heels than he would have liked to see her. "Now… You should get some rest. I am certain you must still have a headache. And I shall go teach." She winked at him. "Although perhaps I will take a leaf from Haymitch's book and put my students in front of a documentary for once."

He dropped his head on the back of the couch once she had left the room and contemplated the change twenty-four hours could make.

He wasn't scared of himself anymore.

Katniss had kissed him.

He was going to be a witch.

And he had found someone who actually _wanted_ him around.

Life, he decided, could sometimes be _sweet_.

* * *

 _Well... I'm sure Effie will get better at the grounding part XD And now Peeta lives with the team! Tell me all your thoughts!_


	51. E6: The Inner Monster (11)

11

* * *

Haymitch waited in the corridor until Katniss had disappeared in the bedroom she shared with her sister – not that he suspected she would sneak back into Peeta's temporary room but he preferred caution – and when he was certain she wasn't coming back out, he continued down the corridor to the master. He schooled his features before he pushed the door open because he knew what he would find but the sight of Effie Trinket so casually lying in his bed still made his heart _pang_ with… _something_.

There was no seductive show as he had half expected. She did not lie in a subtle but artful sexy position, with her arms tossed over her head and her legs bent, anticipating his return. It was obvious she had been asleep before he and Katniss had probably woken her up by coming back from patrol. She was blinking hard even as she reached for the lamp on the bedside table, half buried under his comforter, her blond hair in disarray…

And she still looked lovely.

And he needed to get a grip very badly.

"How did it go?" she asked, her voice a little hoarse.

Then again, that was what you got for fighting outside in the middle of the night in nothing but frilly pajamas.

"Not bad." He shrugged, shouldering off the sheath that was dangling across his shoulder blades. He tossed the sword on the threadbare armchair in the corner and then took off his leather jacket, aware that her appreciative blue eyes were tracking his every move. She liked him armed to death, he had noticed the previous night. "Didn't find the Careers, though." For which he was grateful because he still didn't think Katniss was ready for that. "Lots of fledglings. The girl says she already killed four in the woods last night. We got six in the cemeteries and two in town. We didn't go anywhere near the Hellmouth. We were too tired. Not smart."

He fished his knife from his boot and placed it on the nightstand on what was apparently his side of the bed. Usually, it remained under his pillow all night but with Effie there… He didn't want to risk it. He left one stake next to it and dropped the other one on the bed. She wordlessly relocated it to her own nightstand – the nightstand closest to her, she didn't _own_ a nightstand because it was _his house_ and she was only there until he was satisfied nothing could get into hers while she and the boy slept thanks to the gaping hole in her living-room…

"So many fledglings… They are building an army." she commented flatly.

She didn't sound surprised.

Yet again, even Katniss had figured that out by herself.

"Yeah." He sighed, ran his hand over his face, and shed the two other hidden blades he kept on his body before taking a good hard look at her.

She stared right back.

She was less pale than she had been when he had left. It had taken a long time for her to feel the backlash of the spell she had weaved the previous night. Even when she had stopped looking high on magic – sometimes around dawn – she had still been hyper and energized beyond any natural explanation. He had spent the whole day checking on her at school between two classes to make sure she wasn't about to pass out or keel over but it was only once they had been back at his house, near dinner time, that she had finally started to feel the price of her magical feat.

He had forbidden her from taking part in the training, telling her to stay in the library with Madge and Prim instead. She hadn't been too happy about focusing on research and she had been even less happy when he had ordered her to stay home instead of coming to patrol – if possible, Peeta had been _even less_ happy to also be grounded – but he thought a part of her had been grateful too.

"What is it?" she challenged.

He instinctively knew she would read him the riot act if he asked how she felt again – because he had spent the whole day repeating the question – so he simply snorted. "Nothing. I just like the sight of you wearing my clothes."

It hadn't escaped his notice that she had pilfered his long-sleeved old white shirt from his dresser. It had holes in it and it was so washed out he could guess at the shape of her nipples under the fabric. It really wasn't a bad view.

She immediately relaxed but flashed him a small uncertain smile and buried further under the covers. "I am a bit tired still…"

Which meant he shouldn't get his hopes – or anything else – up.

"You should turn in." he advised, heading to the bathroom.

He wasn't quite at ease with the idea of her sleeping in his bed without sleeping with him first. He wasn't quite at ease with her sleeping in his bed at all. But with Peeta in the only available guestroom… He couldn't ask her to sleep on the couch and it would have been weird to leave his bed to her and sleep on the couch himself given that they were…

 _What were they?_

Casual. _Casual_ was what they were.

But _were_ they?

He was the one who had put his foot down when she had hinted to the boy they should go back to her house for the evening. He didn't want them in a house that was missing a wall. The Village might be safe from evil in theory but there were still wild animals out there and…

He just didn't like the idea.

He lingered in the bathroom, taking a shower purely to waste time, stealing a few mouthfuls from the compact bottle of vodka he kept in the cabinet… He forced himself to stop at three gulps. He couldn't afford to be drunk. Not anymore. Not with the Careers roaming.

He had hoped she would be asleep by the time he came back but the light was still on and if she had placed an arm over her eyes, she was quick to take it off and watch his progress from the bathroom threshold to his side of the bed.

If she had a problem with him sleeping naked, she didn't say.

"I found something earlier." she announced, turning to her side so she was facing him when he slid his legs under the blankets.

He frowned. "About the Reaping?"

She shook her head. "No, I would have led with that."

" _Fucking_ hope so." he snorted.

"Caesar has a bit of a thing for prophecies and since Enobaria mentioned to you that it was _foretold_ … I called him this morning and he did some digging…" she explained. "He found a prophecy that could match. It's obscure."

"Cause you know a prophecy that's not?" he grumbled.

He hated prophecies. He hated fate. He hated anything that reminded him he might not have as much free will as he liked to think.

"I will spare you the oblique terms. It says a past evil will rise and a bird of fire will burn the world to the ground." she declared.

He let that sink a second.

"Right. That's not _oblique_ at all." he mocked and then let out a long deep breath. "It says he will rise? No _but_ , no _if,_ no _except_?"

She reached for his shoulder. Her fingers weren't steady and he briefly compared it to his own tremors when he stopped drinking for too long. "It might not be the right prophecy."

"Right…" He let his voice trail off and then reached over her for the light switch. Usually, he didn't like darkness. It scared him. Too easy for his ghosts to sneak in. But right then… Right then he needed the cover of it to hide his thoughts, the terror that made his heart beat so much faster… "He's gonna come back."

His tone was definitive because he had known it would happen ever since Katniss had showed up talking about Slayer dreams.

 _Hell_ , he had known it would happen since the Hellmouth had swallowed him.

Until Snow was actual dust in the wind… He would always haunt him. No prison was a match for him.

"We will fight and we will win." she promised, gently stroking his shoulder.

He didn't need her gentle comfort. He didn't need the lies in the deep of night. He had been there before with Mabel. They had lied to each other, convinced themselves they would be different, that not only would they survive Snow but that she would be the first Slayer to survive long enough to get wrinkles…

He knew better now.

His hand slid down his torso to the huge swollen scar on his stomach.

"You should go back to England." he said.

She froze. "Yesterday, you were telling me to stay."

"Yeah, well I was being selfish." he snapped. "You should…"

"Nothing is going to happen to me." she cut him off, moving closer. He felt her lips on his shoulder, replacing her hand…

"You don't _fucking_ know that!" He hadn't meant to raise his voice but they both lied very still afterwards, straining their ears in case he had alarmed the kids. When nothing moved in the house, he purposefully kept a hold on his tone. "He killed my mom. He turned my brother. He _gutted_ the love of my life. There's a pattern here and the pattern is that everyone close to me _dies_. You should take the kids and go."

"We already had this discussion." she reminded him, sounding a little terse.

Maybe the _love of his life_ comment wasn't very tactful given that she was currently sharing his bed.

"Not Katniss, then." he growled in frustration. "Katniss stays with me. But Peeta and Prim. You take them to England, you keep them safe."

He turned his head to look at her. He could barely guess at her features in the dark but he knew she looked weary.

"Do you truly think for one second Peeta will consent to leave her?" she retorted quietly. "Do you think Prim will desert her sister? Do you think I will abandon our Slayer? Or _you_ for that matter?"

"What's the alternative?" he spat. "Me standing over your graves?"

He felt them moving in the dark corners. The imaginary ghosts that populated his nightmares.

Not as clear as they had been when the fear demon had attacked them, not as real, but there all the same.

He turned the light back on and sat up, hiding his face in his hands.

He was betraying too much in front of her, he knew. Too much vulnerability. Too much…

She placed her hand on his back, so light it was almost a ghostly touch.

His own hands left his face to run up to his hair, tugging at the roots…

"Effie, don't make me watch you die." he begged.

There was a long, long silence next to him but he didn't dare look at her. The moment felt too big, too suffocating…

"I am as committed to the cause as you are. I am as committed to our Slayer as you are." she whispered. "Asking me to leave to spare you possible pain is unfair. Do you think I am not worried about you? About having _to bury you?_ " She pressed her lips against his shoulder blade. "The truth is I am an asset and you know it. You need all your assets right now."

"Effie…" he pleaded because he wasn't above pleading if that was what it would take for…

"No." she cut him off and the firmness of her tone was barely smoothed by the next soft kiss she pressed to his skin. "You are thinking with your heart. Think with your head. You need me."

He did.

They couldn't afford to be down one witch and without Peeta and Prim there to ground her, he wasn't sure how Katniss would deal.

And yet…

He bowed his head in defeat, surrendering to her logical arguments.

She sneaked her arms around his torso, plastered herself to his back, pressed a kiss to his neck… When she spoke, he didn't think her voice was hoarse just because she had a cold. "I think we should have a talk about us…"

"No." he replied just as firmly as she had earlier. "The monster who likes to stalk me and kill everyone I love's about to come back so now's really not the time to have _that_ talk. There's _no_ talk to have anyway. We _said_ there would be no talk." No dating, no feelings. They had both agreed. And yet… "Don't even know if I can feel… _that talk_ again. We're not having _any_ talk about that. _Ever._ "

He knew he had hurt her because her arms fell off and she settled back down next to him.

"Of course." she agreed, her voice far too chipper. "Alright."

He closed his eyes, feeling so hollow inside… He didn't keep them closed for too long though. The memory of Mabel's dead gaze was seared on his eyelids.

He needed a drink. Or a hundred.

"I could go back home." she whispered. "I know you worry but a few warding runes would do the trick. I wouldn't even have to do real magic." Her tone was light. "You could have your bed _all_ to yourself."

He let out a deep breath and turned off the light, sliding down until he was properly under the blankets. Then he rolled to his side and spooned her.

"Don't want my bed all to myself." he muttered. "I like you in it."

She rested a tentative hand on his forearm and, when he didn't protest, tugged his arm until it was wrapped around her.

"We will get through this together." she promised. "We are a team, aren't we?"

He buried his face in her hair, breathed the familiar smell of her shampoo and wondered why he found it so soothing.

"Yeah…" he relaxed. "Yeah, we're a team."

He wasn't certain it would be enough to stop an evil almost as old as the Earth itself but…

He was willing to hope.

* * *

 _AAAAAAAND it's a wrap. Did you enjoy it? Let me know your thoughts! Any predictions for what happens next?_

 _Episode 7 will start on the 1st of December (yes it's in a while but I've been a bad girl and I need time to get some episode ahead of all of you :p )_


	52. E7: The Way Of The Warrior (1)

_And we start with episode 7! I will have to confess I have been working on a Christmas story instead of episode 8 so I neeeeeed to get a move on if you want a next episode haha. But it will be done I vow it ;) This episode will deal a bit with Effie and Katniss and their relation to the Slayer line so I hope you're in for a bit of introspection._

* * *

 ** _The Way Of The Warrior_**

* * *

 **1**

* * *

The moment Haymitch slid off her and to the side, Effie shot up in a sitting position, her mind very far from what had just happened.

Shy trickles of sunlight were slipping through the closed drapes and across the floorboards of her bedroom but dawn wasn't that far away yet that they should worry about getting up. She glanced at the glowing numbers on the alarm clock anyway to check the hour was reasonable and then reached for her phone, sliding her legs off the bed…

Only to be pulled backward by two strong arms.

"Where are you going?" he grumbled, his voice gruff. "Ain't done yet. You didn't get off."

Scruffy kisses were roughly and unevenly dropped across her shoulders as he kneeled behind her and tried to maneuver her back on the bed.

"It is fine." she promised, turning her head long enough to kiss whatever patch of skin was closer. "I have something to do."

His arms tightened.

"Don't be angry…" he muttered. "You felt too _fucking_ good… Couldn't wait… I'll make it up to you…"

"Haymitch, it is really not…" she objected. But she was tugged back and between his lips and his hands, she was easily convinced to lie back down…

"Let me make it up to you." he said, a little more seriously, as his mouth traveled south of her body.

She wasn't sure he was still talking about being a little too quick to find his release.

Things had been a little weird between them for the last two weeks, ever since their aborted talk of _feelings_. She had fully expected him to push her away afterwards but instead…

For how reluctant he had obviously been to share his bed during the two nights she had spent at his place while her house was in repair, Haymitch seemed to have developed a liking to spending the night with her. There were the nightmares to consider, of course, but she knew better than to try to wake him up when the night terrors came out to play. A whispered spell was usually enough to appease his dreams. Perhaps that was why he unconsciously liked sleeping next to her so much. Or maybe it was because he quite enjoyed having his way with her first thing in the morning.

She had expected him to push her away but instead he kept tugging her closer. The sex was taking a desperate hinge with every new day that passed without news of the Careers or of the Reaping. She knew he was worried, she knew he was battling with an urge to disappear at the bottom of a bottle… She knew all that. She also knew she never felt better than when he held her close and nuzzled her neck. She felt _safe_.

And with the new power pulsing in her veins she needed the feeling.

When Haymitch's mouth finally found the apex of her thighs, her mind went deliciously blank and she gave herself to the thrill that tingled down her spine.

All in all, she mused afterwards, once she was staring at the ceiling, basking in the afterglow with Haymitch lying on his side next to her distractedly playing with her hair, it was a good thing she had casted that spell to soundproof their respective bedrooms. Sound could travel in but it couldn't travel out. He had argued that it could be dangerous, at first, that if either of them were attacked nobody would hear… One awkward breakfast too many with the children had convinced him it was the less of two evils.

She drew out a long sigh and sat up again, reaching for her phone once more.

"We don't have to get up yet…" Haymitch groaned, sneaking an arm around her stomach. "Come on, we went to bed… _five fucking hours ago_."

Patrol was taking forever nowadays.

With the amount of new vampires roaming around, it was a miracle the Seam still had citizens at all. She had lost count of the number of nests they had destroyed lately. They had taken to divide and conquer. They switched teams around now and then but, usually, it was she and Haymitch taking one side of the town while Katniss and Peeta combed the other half.

"Go back to sleep." she indulged him.

"Go to sleep with me." he coaxed, tugging her back. She resisted this time. "Sweetheart…" he almost whined. "I've still got a good forty minutes before I've got to do the walk of shame…"

She didn't point out that Peeta would probably _not_ be surprised if he came downstairs with her because she still wasn't completely at ease with the idea of the children knowing exactly what they were doing. Somehow, it felt like setting the wrong example. But, in either case, Effie and Peeta took all their meals over at Haymitch's most days so…

"I had an idea while we were…" she explained and then let her voice trail off when she didn't find a nice enough euphemism.

"If you're thinking while we're _fucking_ I'm doing something _very_ wrong." he scoffed and then made a face. "Though I guess I wasn't really doing it right this morning."

He hadn't lasted that long, that was true, but he had amply made up for it right then so she soothed that concern with a peck to his lips. "I need to call my mother."

He did a double take at that.

Since he was still holding her and didn't seem in any hurry to release her, she reached out for her phone again and scrolled through her contacts.

"Your mother." he repeated flatly, sitting up so he could plaster himself to her back. "You need to call _your mother_." He sounded flabbergasted, probably because she had never mentioned being in touch before and because every time she had talked about her mother it had been in terrified gibberish about losing control of her own magic. "Your very much _black witch_ of a… _Oh_ …" She tapped the call icon just as he figured it out and she flashed him a smug smile. He snorted. "Sometimes you're brilliant."

"Only sometimes?" she teased.

"Well, you could have thought about it _before_ …" he pointed out.

She let out a fake offended huff and pushed him off her because she didn't really want to talk to her mother with a naked man snuggled against her. He flopped down on the bed with a deep round of chuckles.

She pursed her lips at him in mock displeasure but that only made him smirk.

The look lasted longer than was probably wise and it was far more heated than it should have been given what had just happened between them.

Fortunately or unfortunately, the call finally connected and her mother's disapproving voice reached her ear. " _Euphemia_."

"Funny." Effie deadpanned. "I thought it was my name. What happened to answering the phone properly, mother?"

There was a long silence at the other end of the line and she could almost picture the pursed lips and the glare.

" _Such cheek."_ her mother huffed. " _Did living in the middle of nowhere rub off your manners? Or is it rubbing off on that Watcher of yours, I wonder…"_

Effie's whole body tensed and then she forced herself to relax, telling herself it was just a shot in the dark. She had teased her about Haymitch before. Her mother might have guessed that she had been a little infatuated with the idea of him before she had even set foot in the Seam.

She didn't leave time for that idea to take root in Elindra's mind. She swung her legs off the bed and headed to the bathroom because she _needed_ to do something. Sitting still while talking to her mother was never an option. "How crude. I wonder which of us lost their manners. How is father?"

The silence lasted even longer this time. _"I am afraid your father is quite tied up at the moment_."

Effie briefly paused while crossing the walk-in closet and then decided she didn't mean that literally. Probably. If she _did_ she didn't want to know. She didn't think her parents had any sort of social relationship that wasn't in regard to public appearances anymore so… She fished for another safer subject. "How is Lyssa?"

Asking straight about what she was interested in would be a waste of time. It was better to humor Elindra about what mattered to her, keep up the pretense they were all a normal family – and her father and her sister _were_ a normal family, she supposed – and wear her out.

She cleaned herself up while Elindra prattled about Lyssandra and then started the long process of applying anti-age and wrinkle reducing creams on her face, only listening just enough to make the appropriate noises and let out the occasional 'I see'.

Her sister was her mother's favorite subject but Elindra only managed five minutes of monologue about it that morning. A record, she thought.

" _I surmise you did not call me at an ungodly hour to pretend you are interested in what I have to say."_ Elindra snapped suddenly, cutting herself mid-sentence.

She was in a particularly foul mood that morning, Effie mused, walking back into her bedroom.

Haymitch was finishing to get dressed. He was sitting on the bed, lacing his boots.

"I thought we should not call God's name in vain?" she teased, unable to stop herself. First there was the terrible way to answer the phone, now that phrase… Elindra had impressed upon her as soon as it had become obvious she had _some_ affinities with magic that calling out to a god – _any_ god – without purpose was never a good idea. You never knew what was listening.

" _I am quite tired of your impertinence, Euphemia."_ Elindra sighed. " _Rural America is not doing you any favor."_

"My apologies." she granted with a sigh of her own. "I did not wish to impose on you. I could call back later if it is more convenient."

Haymitch was standing up. She ignored his lifted eyebrows and the implied question and leaned in for a goodbye peck that he made last a little longer than necessary given that she was on the phone. ' _Later'_ he mouthed and she nodded with a small smile.

She let him make his way out by himself although given the soft mumble of voices that floated up to her bedroom a minute later, he didn't manage to make his escape unnoticed. Peeta got up inexplicably early – something to do with working at a bakery, she had been told – and he didn't always keep to his bedroom; which was alright because she wanted him to feel at home.

" _Later will not be more convenient, I might not be able to get in touch. I have been quite busy lately."_ Elindra answered. Effie didn't dare ask if she was busy selling her black arts to the highest bidder. _"What is it you need me for? Do you need help for a spell? I beg you not to attempt anything too strenuous, you do not have the power, Euphemia."_

She had to bite the words down to keep them from escaping. She was _dying_ to tell her that she was not as lame or average as her mother had always told her, that she had found hidden depths to her powers, that spells that had previously drained her were now so much easier to cast… Fireballs and frost conjuring barely took any energy now.

She held her tongue.

She wanted advices but prudence told her that either her mother would accuse her of lying and it would hurt or Elindra would try to manipulate her into using all that new power for her own gain.

"I actually managed a cloaking spell _just_ right a few weeks ago." she boasted, unable _not_ to somehow try and shift her mother's opinion.

" _A cloaking spell?"_ Elindra hummed, slightly distracted.

Effie headed to the walk-in closet to select an outfit for the day, trailing her hand over soft fabrics and shimmering dresses. "Against evil. The whole suburb we live in. Nothing with evil intentions will be able to see or enter the Village. It was _quite_ a difficult spell."

" _The whole Village? I would say."_ her mother commented. _"How did you_ do _that? Do you have a more experienced witch on hand?"_

It was disappointing to her that her mother still didn't believe in her abilities but it was not surprising so she chose a blinding pink blouse and a dove grey pencil skirt and busied herself inspecting her shelves full of heels.

"Not quite." she denied. "But Haymitch did assist."

Which was not a lie.

" _Ah, yes. The Watcher extraordinary."_ Elindra mocked. " _The one you still have to replace… I do not understand how you have not snatched that Slayer yet."_

She pursed her lips and grabbed a pair of ankle high lovely boots. "It is not my aim. My aim is to keep the Slayer alive."

" _A futile attempt."_ her mother judged. _"Now if you were calling to tell me about the cloaking spell, well done."_ The congratulations were so ironic and dismissive that Effie clenched her jaw. _"I am afraid I must go now. As I said I am quite…"_

"Have you ever heard of something called a Reaping? Or _The_ Reaping, perhaps?" she cut her off.

She moved on to selecting underwear while her mother dropped into an uneasy sort of silence. It was almost a whole minute before Elindra spoke again. She spoke calmly when she did but there was something _alarmed_ in her voice and if something could alarm _Elindra_ , it truly wasn't good.

" _Darling, if someone is planning a Reaping in your town you need to come home as soon as you can."_ Elindra surprisingly declared. _"Do not pack. Drive to the closest airport and get on a plane. I will pay for the expense. Actually, I could use you here. Even with your lack of power, you might be of some assistance to me."_

 _That_ was never going to happen. She had no interest in taking up the family business that witches in her maternal line had kept going for generations.

"I cannot do that." she refused. "However, I would be grateful if you could tell me anything about the ritual…"

" _It is dark."_ Elindra scoffed. _"Darker than most witches, wizards and warlocks care to wander. A Reaping is essentially an exchange. A sacrifice for a prize."_

She had expected something of that essence but she still licked her lips, her fingers clutching the pale pink bra she had just picked up. "What kind of sacrifice?"

" _Innocent blood, I believe."_ Elindra answered. _"I do not remember the particulars. The ritual is detailed in one of the spell books I inherited from your great-grandmother, I am sure, but it must be centuries old…"_

She closed her eyes and tilted her head back in silent gratefulness. At last, they had _something_. "Could you take a picture of the relevant pages and send them to me? Or maybe even scan them?"

Her mother wasn't impressed with the suggestion. _"You want me to subject a centuries old book to a camera flash or a printer?"_ She huffed before Effie could answer that very rhetorical question. _"I will see that the book gets to you but I will not defile it."_

It was more than she had expected. "Thank you. Can you tell me anything else?"

" _Not from memory."_ Elindra sighed. " _I_ can _tell you that it would take someone with extraordinary power to pull a Reaping off."_ Her mother was silent a moment and then real concern slipped in her voice. _"Euphemia, darling, you would be no match against such a witch._ Comehome _."_

The unpleasant sting of her mother's magic made her hiss and she took the phone away from her ear to glare at it for a moment before pressing it back to her cheek. "Do _not_ try to compel me."

Elindra let out an annoyed huff. _"I am only trying to look out for you."_

"I can take care of myself, Mother." she promised. "Do you personally know of any witch who could succeed? Perhaps someone who lives close to the Seam Hellmouth? I do not think they have a witch yet… It has been weeks, surely they would have attempted it by now if they had someone?"

" _Perhaps."_ Elindra hummed, clearly deep in thought. _"Or perhaps the conditions for the ritual are not met yet."_ She thought a little more and then clucked her tongue. _"I know a couple of witches who could probably manage it but one is in Europe and the other one is in Africa. The others are all leading covens and they would not attempt it. It is extreme dark arts, I told you. Most witches fear to tread there. In the States themselves, I only know of one who could pull something like that off."_

"Who?" she asked.

" _Me_." Elindra answered simply, as if the answer should have been obvious.

Effie relaxed. "Where exactly in Europe does that other witch live?"

" _Last I heard, she was in Italy."_ Elindra dismissed. _"She moves around. She fancies herself in love with a half-breed."_

 _Italy_. Enobaria had come from Italy with a missing ceremonial dagger and leaving behind an abbey full of dead nuns.

Effie didn't believe in coincidences. "Thank you, Mother."

Elindra sighed. _"I am not sure I should be thanked for encouraging you in your folly. You sister and your father would be most displeased if something happened to you, do be careful."_

 _Her sister and her father_ but would _her mother_ truly care or would she move on with barely a tinge of regret? Black magic corrupted, Effie knew, and the first thing to go was _love_.

They said their goodbyes after she made Elindra promise again to send her the book with the details of the ritual.

By the time she made it downstairs, showered, dressed and wearing enough make-up to last the day, Effie was humming. Peeta had already started breakfast without waiting for her. He had baked muffins and the warm pastries were delicious. When he nudged a travel mug full of coffee – exactly as she liked it – in her direction, she beamed.

"I do not know how I lived so long without you." she proclaimed.

She knew she should probably have been the one making sure he didn't skip breakfast and had something warm to drink in the morning but she had realized quickly in their cohabitation that Peeta loved to bake and that it pleased him to take care of her in some measure.

"Same." The boy grinned and it was contagious.

She felt herself softening and she squeezed his shoulder as she walked past him, leading the way to Haymitch's house. Peeta was slowly opening. Two weeks weren't long enough that he had stopped flinching at sudden movements but he was slowly relaxing and she was relieved to see him adapt so well.

That and he had seemed to enjoy the few magic lessons she had found time to impart.

Haymitch's house was in complete chaos like it tended to be most mornings. She supposed that it was what happened when two extremely disorganized people shared a roof. Poor Prim couldn't compensate for that by herself.

Katniss was shouting from somewhere upstairs, asking after a textbook she had lost and needed for school. Haymitch was shouting back from the kitchen table that she should just stop leaving her stuff all over the house if she couldn't keep track and it was slowly but surely developing into a shouted snippy match. Prim was stoically drinking her glass of orange juice and petting the monstrous cat that was drinking from a bowl of milk directly on the table.

 _Unhygienic,_ Effie thought, barely stopping herself from making a face _._

"Good morning, Haymitch." she called loudly, to keep up the pretense for the two-third of their children who hadn't spotted him sneaking out that morning. "Good morning, dear."

"Morning, sweetheart." Haymitch mumbled.

Prim's answer was a little more cheerful but the look she and Peeta exchanged told Effie she wasn't fooled.

"I have news." she declared. "If you think your Slayer could stop hunting her missing textbook long enough to come down. The book in question is down in the gym, by the way."

Haymitch eyed her up and down with lifted eyebrows. "How can you possibly know that?"

She tossed him the very same kind of look, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "I like to keep track of everything that goes on."

"Do you, now?" he challenged, tilting his head to the side.

Katniss barged in at that moment, a scowl on her face. Clearly she had woken up on the wrong side of the bed. Her grey eyes darted from Haymitch to Effie and then found Peeta's. The Slayer let out an infuriated sigh.

"Are they flirting again?" the girl asked in a long suffering tone.

Effie huffed in indignation.

Haymitch scoffed a protest.

Peeta and Prim answered in a remarkable chorus. "Do they ever stop?"

The crimson of her cheeks clashed _atrociously_ with her pink blouse.

* * *

 _When we start with hayffie being all cute and a mysterious black witch on the loose, nothing can go wrong, can it? *cheshire cat smile*_

 _Let me know your thoughts!_


	53. E7: The Way Of The Warrior (2)

2.

* * *

"So now, on top of the Careers, we're trying to find an Italian witch?" Madge asked, making a face.

Katniss perfectly understood the feeling. Hell, she _shared_ it. She was pretty sure she had made that same face in the kitchen that morning when Effie had imparted the good – in the witch's terms – news. She didn't see what was good about any of this. Sure, they now had more information than they had the day before. It wouldn't help them any.

"Do we _really_ want to find the Careers, though?" Peeta replied, making a face of his own.

The three of them were walking down the high school hallways, fighting off the lazy crowd of the lunch hour. Katniss had been catching Madge up to speed when the boy had joined them.

"I mean…" he continued after a beat. "I know that's what Haymitch _says_ we're doing but it looks to me like he's _hoping_ we _won't_ find the Careers if it makes sense."

Haymitch and Effie both.

Katniss didn't like the looks the two Watchers shared every time they thought they had a lead or a sighting. If she had had her way, they would have been stalking the _Cornucopia_. If Enobaria had gone once, there were good chances she would go back… But Haymitch had turned it down every time she had suggested it, telling her it was more important to contain the army of newborn vampires.

Unlike Katniss and Peeta, Haymitch had greeted Effie's news with unabashed relief that morning. It was like his face had lost ten years all of a sudden and, for one mad second, she had thought he would actually _hug_ Effie.

"Haymitch seems to think if we take out that witch, we'll solve the Reaping problem." Katniss pointed out unhappily. And she supposed he was hoping that the Careers would turn tails and go back to whatever they had been doing before waking up one morning with the idea of freeing their old master.

"That won't solve the vampires problem though." Madge argued.

And Madge was right. Which was why Katniss wasn't happy.

Because of that and because Haymitch had been crystal clear that if a human needed disposing of – dark which or not – he would be the one handling it. Not that she wanted to _commit murder_ but… It seemed unfair to her that…

"There are too many problems." she grumbled, letting out a tired sigh. "You ask me, the biggest one right now is the army of vampires they're building…"

She had fallen asleep in class again during first period and she _knew_ the teacher would report her to Haymitch. And while she knew Haymitch would not say anything to her, she also knew that faculty members would start asking questions if she kept up that way and that meant she and Prim might be taken away from his guardianship and…

"You know what we need?" Peeta's tone was suddenly much more cheerful. "We need a movie night." Katniss and Madge exchanged a look. He must have caught their dubiousness because next thing she knew he had tossed his arms around their shoulders and had pulled them closer to his sides, his voice turning coaxing. "Come on… It would be fun! Prim would like it. And, Madge, you could sleep over."

There was a moment of silence when he seemed to realize what he had just said and actually almost tripped. He immediately dropped the arm still wrapped around Madge's shoulders.

He didn't let go of Katniss though.

"I mean _you_ could have a sleepover." he awkwardly rephrased. "The two of you. With Prim. Because there's no way Effie will let me sleep with girls. Not that I want to. Like _that_. _That's_ not… And Haymitch will kill me if he finds me sleeping with Katniss again so…"

Madge let out a soft gasp and then did her best to hide her shock.

Katniss glared at Peeta who briefly closed his eyes. "That's not how I meant it. Nothing happened at all. It was all just…"

"You can be such a blabbering idiot sometimes." Katniss muttered.

His arm slowly dropped off her shoulders and, without thinking, she caught his wrist and adjusted it back on. She felt her cheeks flush but she didn't let herself think too much about it.

They hadn't talked at all about what had happened in that cave. She wasn't even sure Peeta remembered any of it. But ever since that night… Peeta touched her more. It was always casual and he wasn't overly pressing and she was getting used to it. She was learning to like it. She didn't mind it so much when he stood too close or watched her without a good excuse to do so or bumped his hand against hers when they walked side by side… She didn't mind it either when they sat too close on the couch or when he tentatively played with the end of her braid when he teased her… He hadn't tried to kiss her and she wasn't sure she wanted him to yet but… She liked the new proximity.

"A movie night and a sleepover don't sound too bad." Madge hesitated. "You've been chasing after vampires every night for weeks, Katniss… You deserve a break… Do you think Haymitch will be okay with it?"

Would Haymitch be okay with taking a night off from saving innocent people and killing monsters just so she could watch a stupid movie, eat her weight in pizza and ice cream and laugh most of the night with her friends? Somehow, she didn't think so.

"We could do it after patrol." Peeta suggested, his fingers drumming a distracted rhythm on her shoulder. "If we patrol early…"

"I'm not sure Haymitch and Effie will go for it." she remarked, shaking her head.

A slow scheming smile stretched Peeta's lips and, when he turned it to her, she couldn't help but think it was contagious.

"Maybe they could go on a date while we have our party." he said.

She frowned. "I'm not sure what they're doing, and I _really_ don't want to know, but it doesn't look like dating to me."

"I think they're cute." Madge offered, rummaging inside her bag for a lost hair tie. She gathered her hair up in a hasty ponytail. "You know… In an awkward sort of way."

He snorted. "Try living with them. Haymitch sneaks out of our house one morning out of three and he's really not as stealthy as he thinks he is."

"She's not any stealthier when she sneaks out." Katniss pointed out. _Every time,_ Effie _had_ to step on that creaky floorboard _right_ in front of the girls' bedroom. You would think the witch would know to avoid it by then but no. _Every_ _time_. And Katniss woke up _every time_ , tense and ready for a fight that was not coming.

They passed in front of Haymitch's classroom. The door was open, Haymitch was sitting at his desk and shot them a suspicious look when the three of them flashed him their best innocent smiles.

One thing had been made abundantly clear: neither Haymitch nor Effie liked having their private lives discussed.

And yet it was Peeta's, Prim's and hers main discussion topic. That was what they talked about when they didn't want to linger on the dangers lurking outside and they had nothing else to say. It had become their default conversation. Maybe if Effie and Haymitch didn't try to pretend they weren't involved or, at the very least, stop treating them like they were too stupid to understand they were sleeping together… _Gossip_. That was what they reduced Katniss to: spreading gossip.

"Anyway, we deserve a break." Peeta argued. "And we have to celebrate."

"Celebrate what?" Katniss scoffed, as they reached the decrepit lounge area. "The powerful dark witch we have to hunt, the three evil vampires we have to kill or the huge sacrificial ritual around the corner we have to stop?"

The lounge area wasn't as packed as Katniss had been expecting and they quickly located a free frayed couch.

"Celebrate that we're not dead yet and that you're going to kick the bad guys' asses soon." He tightened his side hug a little, excitement slipping in his voice. " _And_ the fact that I made a pencil float this morning."

"You what?" Madge asked just as Katniss frowned. "You made _what_ float now?"

"I made a _pencil_ float." he repeated no less enthusiastically, miming it with his free hand while flopping down on the couch with a wide grin. His blue eyes were twinkling with pride. "Effie says it's the first step for anyone who's serious about using magic. It's supposed to teach me focus. The longer I can keep it up the better."

"And how long did you keep it floating?" Katniss asked. Madge had headed over to a group of people to snatch an empty chair so she sat down next to Peeta on the couch.

"Two seconds." he answered, beaming.

The girls looked at each other, fighting smiles.

"Did you toss it in air first?" Katniss mocked. "'Cause _two_ seconds…"

"Hey! It's harder than it looks." he protested. "Alright, maybe it didn't really _float_. But it twitched and it kind of hopped, so… You know."

Peeta didn't pout as a rule but, right then, he looked really close to it. It should have annoyed her but instead it only made it harder for her to bite back her smile.

She wanted to laugh but it didn't seem really nice to do that. She had no idea how hard it was to make a pencil float but she remembered how weird it had been when she had started training with Haymitch sometimes. Using weapons came naturally to her Slayer's instinct but there was a difference between natural skills and trained techniques and she remembered how proud she had been the first time she had managed to disarm Haymitch with a sword – and how he had mocked her because, according to him, there really was nothing to it.

"I'm sure it's difficult and it's great you're making progress." Madge offered, reaching out to pat his knee in a comforting gesture.

Katniss knew the other girl didn't mean anything by it but she didn't really like _that_. She told herself it _wasn't_ why she brought her legs up on the couch or why she accidentally ended up with her knees propped on his thigh.

She immediately froze.

She wasn't sure what was getting into her lately or why she would… She accidentally met Peeta's gaze and he seemed so pleased and happy with having her so close though… It was silly really. _Stupid_ even _._ Nothing to look so over the moon about. But when he slowly reached out for her hand, she let him take it. Her heart was beating far too quickly.

Madge cleared her throat.

Katniss blushed up to the roots of her hair and she opened her mouth to apologize, ready to swear there must have been another demonic thing afoot to make her act so weird, when she caught sight of Gale at the other side of the lounge area and she felt herself grow cold. It was like a bucket of icy water had been poured all over her burning skin. And it wasn't a nice feeling.

Her former best friend's grey eyes studied her, then Peeta, and his expression was one of tired fury… No surprise on his features though.

A part of her, the childish part who had always looked up to him and somehow craved his approval, wanted to rush to Gale and explain that it wasn't what he was thinking. She crushed it in the bud. She didn't owe him any explanation. Not anymore. Not after what he had tried to pull.

"Do you mind if I go say hi?" Madge asked suddenly, sounding a little awkward.

Her friend kept her gaze averted but she must have still managed to see Katniss' shrug because she stood up and crossed the open space.

She couldn't quite determine if Madge looked relieved because she hadn't objected or because she and Peeta were being awkward to be around.

"I think she likes him." Peeta commented quietly – maybe even _carefully_. He gave her hand a squeeze. "Would it bother you?"

She wasn't really sure what the two of them were doing there but she was _pretty_ sure there was only one acceptable answer to that question given that she was more or less curled up against his side and her hand was in his and she may or may not have kissed him while she thought he was dying.

And, besides, it was the answer she _wanted_ to give. She just really wasn't good at expressing that sort of things.

All in all, she was almost grateful that the windows exploded right at that moment because it was the perfect distraction.

She _could_ have done without the demons carrying katanas though…

* * *

 _Demon Interruptus! What are your thoughts?_


	54. E7: The Way Of The Warrior (3)

3.

* * *

In the second it took Katniss to react after the demons had bomb-dived through the windows, her brain registered that there were three demons, that they were humanoid-shaped despite the blue scales that passed as skin for their race, that they were wearing some sort of leather armor and that the katanas looked awfully sharp.

The next second, she had jumped off the couch amongst the terrified shouts and cries of the other teenagers and stood in the middle of the lounge area, surrounded by the three demons who lost no time engaging her in a fight. Up close, they looked less human than lizard. Their faces were weirdly flat except for an odd ridge on their brow.

They knew how to use a blade though.

Not getting run through demanded all her attention.

She jumped, kicked, rolled, dove and punched without landing a single hit.

The three demons surrounded her, all of them so strangely identical she kept getting turned around every time she had to change directions to avoid a katana, and forced her to adopt a defensive position. They were closing in and, while she was relieved they didn't seem interested in pursuing the students who had run away, she wasn't exactly happy to be their sole focus.

She was very vaguely aware that Gale, Madge and Peeta were still standing at the far end of the room and that Peeta seemed to be fighting with Gale. _Again_. She caught bits of sentences. Mostly, she thought Peeta was telling Gale to stay out of the fight so she could focus on staying alive and not on having to save _his_ life.

She sensed the blade coming behind her and twisted her upper body to avoid it, earning herself a long scratch down her arm. She hissed in pain but landed a low kick to the one coming at her from the side, feeling better when she heard him let out a hiss of his own.

They were closing in on her and she couldn't see any way out so she crouched low and leaped in a backflip that got her just over the top of the third one's head. It didn't give her too much room to maneuver though. They immediately turned back on her, a line of blue lizard samurais that seemed intent on running her down.

"Katniss, catch!"

She wasn't sure where Effie had come from and she didn't pause to think about it, she plucked the stake the witch had tossed out of the air and reared back into a fighting stance, relieved to _finally_ have a weapon in hand. She could forgive Madge for not having the presence of mind to fetch one – Madge had _never_ gone with them on patrol and had stated repeatedly that she didn't want to be involved in the fighting part so it made sense she wouldn't really know what to do – but _the boys_? Gale could have gone for his bow. Peeta knew perfectly well there were several stakes in her bag or more lethal weapons in Haymitch's classroom…

She would have welcomed a more lethal weapon…

A stake against three katanas didn't seem like a fair trade.

Within seconds, she was back where she had started, surrounded and trying hard to avoid getting stabbed, her stake uselessly gliding against their leather armor…

"Effie!" she snapped at some point, desperate for some backup.

"I don't have an opening!" the witch shouted back.

The fight was too close quarter for Effie to risk a fireball or crawling frost, Katniss understood, but it didn't help.

Neither did the growing sounds of scuffle as Peeta wrestled with Gale to keep him from entering the fray. Madge was alternating between ordering them to stop their nonsense and trying to convince Gale that Peeta was right.

Sweat ran down her forehead, burning her eyes. She was tiring and she knew it wouldn't be long before…

Suddenly, one of the blue lizard demons was kicked down and there was a presence at her side and Katniss fought with renewed vigor because if she was straining, there was no way her Watcher would manage better. Haymitch was armed with knives and apparent pure wrath. They fell into position, back to back, still forced to remain on the defense but his presence granted Katniss some breathing space to think and land more precise hits.

"Oh, and _he's_ not going to distract her!" Gale complained, loud enough to make her grit her teeth.

"You're kidding, right? Have you seen him fight?!" Peeta shouted back, his tone dripping with admiration.

Katniss hoped Haymitch appreciated it because, given how the fight was unfolding, it might very well have been the last thing her Watcher would ever hear.

That being said, she was _not_ going to get distracted by Haymitch because he had survived this life for forty years so she trusted him to survive a little longer. _And_ because what he lacked in supernatural strength and speed, he made up for with lifelong honed skills.

It wasn't long before she heard the first grunt of pain from Haymitch behind her though.

"Switch." she demanded.

He obediently ducked and she rolled over his back, whirling around to meet his former opponent with her foot in his guts.

"Effie, _fucking_ do something!" he ordered.

"Gladly!" Effie huffed. "If you and Katniss would _move_ from my line of fire!"

"Light this whole _fucking_ building on fire for all I care!" he spat back.

Time to change tactics then.

Katniss briefly caught Haymitch's gaze as they fought together. A fleeting second was enough to understand each other, even in the midst of a fight. He lured the one he was fighting away from her and its two twins.

It left her two demons to deal with but two demons seemed a lot more manageable than three.

They forced her to jump and duck an awful lot to avoid the blades and it was using all her stamina. Eventually, she was too slow to leap and she saw the gleam of triumph in the dark eyes of the blue lizard demon samurai when he lunged at her, certain he had her.

She twisted at the waist so abruptly she felt something twitch in her side.

The demon tried to backtrack but it was too late, it had lunged too far and with far too much strength. The katana sliced right through its twin's torso.

Katniss registered the look of surprise on the dying lizard's face but she didn't let that trouble her. A leg kick made sure its unintentional murderer let go of his weapon and, soon, she had a katana in her hand and a dead demon at her feet and she felt a lot better.

A glance told her, Haymitch hadn't made any progress though.

His shirt was torn in several places, she could see blood and his upper lip was cut open. Effie was hovering not too far away, her hands raised and glowing gold, an expression of utter frustration on her face… The knives forced Haymitch to fight close to his opponent and she still couldn't find a way to safely intervene.

Katniss readied herself to dispatch the second demon and then go on to help Haymitch but the blue lizard let out a sharp series of hisses that made the other one lift its head and, before she understood what was going on, the two demons had disappeared in a cloud of blue smoke.

She stood there, her ears ringing, her muscles cramped, the katana lifted in the beginning of a parry measure, and she stared at the empty air in front of her.

"If they can puff away why did they even break the windows?" Madge asked.

"Dramatic entrance, I surmise." Effie answered, hurrying to where Haymitch had dropped on the ground. "Are you alright?"

Katniss missed the witch pulling the Watcher back to his feet because Peeta and Gale had rushed to her and were asking a hundred questions a second. The main one seemed to echo Effie's though. She _was_ alright. Just annoyed.

"Thanks for your intervention, sweetheart." Haymitch grumbled, wiping his bloody lip on his sleeve and then wincing in pain. "Real help you were."

Effie tossed him a look, her mouth pursed in clear displeasure. "I _kept_ telling you to give me range…"

"And you didn't think _maybe_ you could have grabbed a weapon and jumped in?" Haymitch sneered. "Grant the girl some space to fight before I arrive? Be a fucking distraction? I know you ain't big on physical fighting but what's the point of having you trained for it if you won't use it when your magic's useless?"

There was a real bite to his words and both Peeta and Gale fell silent, seeming to realize there was a storm brewing not two feet away.

Effie seemed torn between hurt and anger. In the end, she simply crossed her arms in front of her chest in a posture that probably aimed at being bossy but mostly conveyed that she felt bad about what had just happened. "I _would_ have but… How do you want me to fight in this outfit?"

Haymitch's grey eyes slowly traveled down the witch's body and Katniss could see the moment he registered the tight grey pencil skirt that would have constricted her movements and rendered her completely useless in a fight. She knew better than merely _think_ Effie could have slit the fabric to give herself some freedom. There were few things the woman held more sacred than her clothes.

"I've been asking that question since we met and you keep saying it ain't a problem." he deadpanned, slightly less harsh but still not happy. "Clearly, you've been wrong."

"Haymitch." Effie warned.

"You're a Watcher." he retorted. "Maybe it's time to dress like it."

"I have _always_ drawn the line at my closet and if _my own Watcher_ could not convince me to wear terribly unflattering outfits supposedly for my own good, _you_ certainly will _not_." the witch snapped.

"How about for _your Slayer's_ own good?" he growled.

The way they were glaring at each other told Katniss they were about to kill each other – or something else.

Because it was a well-rehearsed routine by then, she exchanged a long suffering look with Peeta.

"Principal Heavensbee's coming this way." Madge warned suddenly.

The other girl had positioned herself next to the hallway. Katniss was glad one of them had had the presence of mind of self-appointing themselves look out.

"Get rid of the body." Haymitch ordered Effie, waving at the dead demon on the floor.

"Won't we need it for research?" Peeta asked, making a face. "To figure out who these demons…"

"No need." Haymitch cut him off, snatching the katana from Katniss' hand and tossing it under one of the couches. His knives were already gone, back to their usual hiding places.

The _woosh_ of the emerald magical flames made Katniss take two hasty steps back. The body consumed itself quickly.

"They belong to the Order of Tarakas." Effie added. "They are mercenaries." There was a tightness at the corner of the witch's mouth but Katniss couldn't say if it was because of the demons, of Haymitch's rebukes or because of the magic. "Haymitch."

It was the only warning the Watcher got before his cuts mended by themselves and his torn shirt was suddenly repaired.

"You forgot the lip." he grumbled, gingerly touching his mouth.

"No, I didn't." she scoffed. "Come along, children. Quick."

Katniss followed along as the witch ushered them all through the doors that opened on the courtyard at the other side of the lounge area, leaving Haymitch behind to spin a lie to Heavensbee. It seemed the whole school was gathered in the hallways, talking in hushed whispers about the three pranksters with blue masks dressed like ninjas that had blown windows in the lounge. Nobody looked twice at them, not even at the drops of blood she left in her wake.

They didn't stop until they were in Effie's classroom and the door was carefully shut behind them.

"Let me see." the Art teacher ordered and Katniss obediently held out her injured arm. Slayer's increased healing rate or not, she was pretty sure she would have needed stitches if Effie hadn't cast a spell to close the wound. There _were_ areas of magic she could reconcile with.

The witch swayed a little when she was done but she waved away the chair Peeta offered with a small smile. A smile that turned into a pout when her eyes settled on Gale.

Of course, Gale glared right back.

Katniss perched on the corner of a desk, wishing things could be simpler and everyone could get along.

"How do you know these demons were with the Order of Whatever?" she asked to distract herself from the tension in the room.

"Do you think they will come back?" Madge added, hugging herself.

Gale placed a protective hand on the girl's shoulder. "They won't, don't worry."

"Of course, they _will_." Effie contradicted without pleasure. She seemed a little agitated. "Let's wait for Haymitch to discuss it _since he is apparently the only competent Watcher here_."

The last part was muttered with pure venom.

"He's just grumpy 'cause he got his ass kicked. The stake really helped." Katniss said with a small forced smile.

"I love your outfit." Madge added after a beat, always comforting. "And you couldn't have expected to have to fight today. You were terrific with the sword the other day…"

She wasn't sure Effie was fooled but the woman softened anyway. "Thank you, girls."

Gale rolled his eyes so hard she was surprised they didn't fall out of his sockets.

Unfortunately, it brought him to Katniss' attention and she had things to say. "You _can't_ try to jump in fights like that. _How many times_ do I have to tell you? Peeta was right. You would have distracted me and it would have been a mess."

Her former best friend sneered. "Oh, _I_ would have distracted you but, according to the old guy who keeps getting his ass kicked by every demon in town, it would have been better if _Witch Barbie_ had cut in?"

Peeta stood up from the chair he had dropped on so fast that it clattered to the floor, his hands were bundled into fists and his breath came out in loud pants. " _What did you call her_?"

"Do not bother." Effie firmly ordered, placing both of her hands on Peeta's shoulders. It looked soothing but Katniss suspected it was just as restrictive – just in case he tried to punch Gale again, she guessed. The look she leveled at Gale was loathing at most. "It would do you _good_ to learn to respect your elders, young man. You might not like me but I can assure you Haymitch does _not_ get beaten up in every fight. He is _quite_ the legend, actually."

"Yeah." Peeta spat, trying to take a step forward only to be held back by Effie's not so loose grip. "Haymitch's a hero and Effie's _fucking_ awesome, so you better _shut your mouth_!"

"Language." the which rebuked and was immediately ignored as Gale made a mocking face.

"Ain't you a mama boy…" he taunted.

Katniss swiftly sneaked between the two of them before it could escalate. _Again_.

Gale, to his credit, immediately deflated. "Catnip…"

"I think you should leave." she said, her face closed.

He stared at her for a long moment, searching her eyes for… _something_ that he clearly didn't find. He clenched his jaw and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Effie let out a sigh of relief that she seemed to immediately regret if the sorry look she sent Katniss' way was any indication.

"I should…" Madge hesitated, looking from Katniss to the door. "I will try to calm things down. Text me when you know about the demons?"

"Sure." she agreed, even though she had no idea where her phone was at the moment. Madge opened the door right before Haymitch could and, for a moment, he stood there, a little surprised, his torn lip still bleeding, and then he moved aside so Madge could duck past him with a quick word of apology.

One look around the room and he closed the door behind him. "So it's only us again?"

He was trying to sound light but Katniss heard the satisfaction underneath. He wasn't entirely comfortable with what she had dubbed the _extended_ team. He preferred it when it was only the four of them.

"Oh, quit being a baby." Effie snapped, quite out of the blue.

Or maybe it wasn't _quite_ out of the blue because Haymitch was the only one who wasn't surprised when she marched toward him and waved her hand in front of his mouth, muttering something under her breath. Next thing they knew, Haymitch's cut lip was whole again.

"Thanks." he mumbled, shooting the witch a look that she purposefully avoided.

Katniss tried not to sigh.

That meant more relationship drama, she was sure. Prim was going to be so mad she had missed it…

"So? Ninja Demons?" Peeta prompted.

"They are more samurais than ninjas if we must go with this analogy simply because of the katanas." Effie corrected, going to sit behind her desk. "And I doubt we have time to get into it before next period. I suggest we meet after school."

Haymitch looked like he wanted to argue but he held his tongue so Katniss felt obligated to say what they were all thinking. "What if they attack again?"

"You killed one of them. It is safe to assume they will take a few hours to regroup before trying again." Effie dismissed.

There was no doubt in the witch's mind that they _would_ attack again, she noticed.

"You know what assuming makes of you and me…" Haymitch mumbled.

Effie's blue eyes darted to him, challenging. "Do you _truly_ think they will try something again _right_ _now_?"

He studied her for a moment and then granted her the point. "No. I think we're good for a few hours. I'm still sending Katniss home."

"What?" She frowned. "No. That's…"

"You'll be safe in the Village. They won't be able to get in." Haymitch cut her off. "And you fell asleep in class. I told Heavensbee you're feeling under the weather." He lifted his eyebrows. "After that fight, you need a shower anyway. You stink."

She glared at him but it wasn't enough to make him lose his amused expression.

"So do you." she scoffed.

"Charming." Effie sniffed. "We have now devolved to having third graders fights."

"But what do they _want_?" Peeta insisted, bringing them all back on tracks. "The demons?"

Neither Effie nor Haymitch rushed to explain. Katniss didn't need them too.

They were mercenaries, assassins for hire… And they had gone straight for her.

It wasn't a huge leap to deduce they were after her.

* * *

 _Some action today! Tempers are flaring! What did you think?_


	55. E7: The Way Of The Warrior (4)

4

* * *

There was something like _aggressively making tea_ and Effie Trinket had perfected it into an art form. She had learned from the best, after all. Caesar had always been fond of letting her know he was giving her the cold shoulder by ignoring her and giving his teapot his sole focus.

Well, she was lacking a teapot, the proper apparatus or even real tea and her Watcher would have been _appalled_ at what she called tea but it was the Seam and not London and she had to adapt somehow.

She dipped the tea bag into her mug, glancing through the window over the sink at Haymitch's overgrown backyard a few times. She liked her own kitchen better, it was more aesthetically pleasing, but she couldn't deny his felt more lived-in. The whole house felt more lived-in. In part, probably, thanks to the loud laughter of the teenagers in the other room.

The laughter wouldn't last long, she figured, they all wanted details on the Order of Tarakas and they wouldn't be patient for much longer. It had been hard enough to convince Katniss to go back to the Village earlier as it was.

So… Really, it would have been easier if Haymitch had left her to her hostile tea making and gotten a head start on the explaining like a good Watcher ought to do.

But _no_.

Instead of that, he was leaning against the farthest wall watching her, prompting her to fix her tea with passive aggressive moves that would have made Caesar weep with pride if it hadn't been a cheap tea bag and a washed out mug.

"Look…" he _finally_ sighed. Just as well because there was only so long she could keep pretending to make tea. "About earlier…"

"There is nothing more to say." she cut him off with a fake bubbly cheer. "You were clear enough."

She dropped the used tea bag in the trash and fished a spoon in the drawer, stirring her drink so hard it audibly clicked on the porcelain. She didn't turn away and kept staring at the yard through the window, fantasizing about using a spell to make it more… civilized. It wasn't the only thing around there that she would have liked to _civilize._

"Sweetheart." he growled.

It was funny how quickly he could change intonations on that word, how it could go from a word of endearment in the early hours of the morning to a demeaning pet name. She wasn't sure where it was situated right then. Perhaps somewhere in between.

"Yes?" she hummed, taking pain to still sound _pleasant_.

He pushed himself off the wall. She tracked his progress across the room through the sound of his footsteps. He paused short of touching her which, at least, showed he hadn't lost all sense of self-preservation yet.

"You're done sulking?" he challenged. "Cause I'm trying to _not_ start a fight here."

"I have no clue what you mean." she retorted, taking a sip of scalding tea, still refusing to look at him.

The fight, as far as she was concerned, had started the moment he had called her professionalism into question _in front of the children_. She was a firm believer that adults, particularly adults who were in charge, should _not_ fight in front of children. Not about the things that mattered anyway. Disagreements were fine. Calling each other out on things the children should trust implicitly was _not_.

Perhaps he didn't have as much self-preservation as she had thought however because he slowly wrapped his arms around her waist and tugged her into his chest. She had to be careful not to spill her tea because he jostled her and she pursed her mouth very tight.

"I was pissed off 'cause Katniss was struggling and you were just standing there." he admitted, irritation still flaring in his voice at the memory.

And yet he _still_ had the guts of propping his chin on her shoulder.

She had to fight the urge to shrug him off.

"I was _not_ just standing there, as you say. I was waiting for an opportunity to use magic because I did not have any weapon and because I would have been more of a liability than a help. Partly because of my outfit, I will readily admit it, I did not expect to have to fight when I was getting dressed this morning." she snapped. "But if you think for _one second_ I wouldn't have tossed myself in there to shield her with my body if I had had to, you are being both offending and hurtful. I know my duty and I would sacrifice myself for her."

His arms tightened around her. "That doesn't sound as reassuring as you want it to be."

She was three seconds away from telling him to go _fuck_ himself and since she abhorred vulgarity, she made a giant effort to keep her mouth shut. She swallowed the words back by gulping an unhealthy amount of tea.

"I ain't gonna tell you how to dress." he continued when it became clear she would not say anything. He tentatively nuzzled her neck and she wondered what it meant that he couldn't actually _say_ he was sorry instead of trying to coax her into forgiveness. "But right now we need to be ready _all the time_. So maybe…" He plucked the mug from her hand and placed it on the counter. Then his hands were on her hips and he turned her so she was facing him… "I love your tight skirts, you know." His hands slid down the side of her thighs, all the way to the back of her legs… "But maybe we can agree that if you can't lift the skirt when you need to or can't move well in it… It should remain in your closet for now."

His hands slowly traveled up until they had found her ass and he squeezed, a smirk slowly stretching his lips.

She narrowed her eyes at him and tilted her head to the side. "Is the skirt lifting meant for fighting demons or for your own convenience?"

He picked her up and deposited her on the kitchen counter before she could even process he had moved.

"Both." he granted, leaning in to kiss her.

His tongue was distracting and despite her best intentions, she responded to that kiss eagerly. Even if she bit the upper lip that had so recently been cut open, drawing a pained hiss out of him because the flesh was still tender.

The skirt wouldn't allow her to spread her legs so he could step between them and, from all the offenses it had caused that day, she thought that was the one that might convince her to trash it.

It was probably for the best though.

She could still hear the loud rumble of voices in the library and she knew it would only be a matter of time before one of the children walked in and interrupted.

And she still had things to say.

She drew back, ending the kiss in a way that made him frown and blink in a dazed sort of way. He must have recognized the serious look on her face because he let out a small sigh and placed a hand on either side of her, leaning in but not quite caging her in.

"I am not a fighter." she stated very clearly even though she had done so several times since they had met. "If pressed, yes, I will be able to defend myself in that way but it has never been natural for me and, frankly, I _hate_ it. I hate getting so close to enemies that are dead more often than not, I hate breaking nails, I hate the exertion and I _hate_ getting hurt. I am not good at enduring pain, I am not good at taking punches only to hit back. I loathe it. I will avoid physically engaging demons every time I can."

Haymitch's face softened. "I know but sometimes…"

"I am _not_ a fighter, Haymitch." she cut him off, repeating it more firmly. "I am very well aware that you are accustomed to a certain kind of women, that you find that sort of strength and skills attractive… But you should realize _right_ _now_ that I am not a Slayer. Or one of the daredevil demon huntresses you are no doubt used to sleeping with. There is a reason I chose to become a Watcher instead of a Council Operative once it was obvious my time as a Potential had come to an end. It is all in the title. _Watcher_."

He waited a few seconds, probably to make sure she was done, and then he looked down at her lap. Maybe because it was easier than looking her in the eyes.

"Being a watcher doesn't mean you just watch while your Slayer gets her own hands dirty." he pointed out, not be contrary but because he felt it needed to be said. "At some point, you've got to get in the fight." She opened her mouth to argue but he went on before she could let out a word. " _But_ I can give you that, you're better at battle magic so, _yeah_ , you should play to your strengths and maybe I was being an ass earlier 'cause I got scared for the girl." He licked his lips and looked up. "You're a _fucking_ great witch, Effie, and you're an asset in battle."

"Thanks to you." she whispered.

She had been scared of her own magic before she had come to the Seam. And she still was in some ways but he had opened up possibilities for her… He had helped unlock a part of her that she didn't know existed and now… Now she felt power coursing through her veins and it felt natural. _Right_.

He dismissed her words with a careless wave of his hand before cupping her cheek, nudging her chin up with his thumb.

"What they teach you at the Academy and being an actual field Watcher are two very different things." he said quietly. "You've got solid instincts and you're good with setting up a training course but you need to learn how to take the hard decisions under pressure. And how to live with the decisions you took afterwards. Today… I'm sorry, sweetheart, today you _should_ have helped her, with magic or with your fists. You should have thought of something. You've _always_ got to think of something when your Slayer has her back to a wall. Metaphorical or otherwise. That's your job."

He softened the criticism as much as he could but it wasn't the rebuke that made her frown or made a pool of dread burn in her stomach.

"Katniss is not my Slayer." she objected slowly.

He held her gaze. The smirk stretched his lips again but it didn't reach his eyes, they remained a stormy grey. "Yet."

Such a small word to do such terrible damage…

She grabbed his wrist just as he was letting go of her face, squeezing it hard. "I thought we agreed we would ignore Coin's ludicrous orders for now?"

"We are." He nodded. "But…" He closed his eyes and let out a deliberate slow shrug. "If I fall, you're up."

Her whole body ran cold.

Her instinctive answer was to refuse. The more she thought about the last few weeks, the more things made sense suddenly. The way he had let her take over some parts of Katniss' training, the way he let her speak first when they did research, the way he deferred to her from time to time when they organized patrols… She had thought he had probably indulged a little too much with alcohol to trust himself when that had happened but…

"You have been training me." she realized, frowning. "You…"

He thought there was a chance, an important chance, that they would fail to prevent the ritual and Snow would rise again. Because it had been foretold by a vague prophecy she should have had the wits to keep to herself.

"You're good." he said again. "And I trust you to take over. But you've got a lot to learn, sweetheart."

He thought if the prophecy came to pass he was going to die.

"You…" she repeated but he kissed her before she could say any more.

He kissed her with a desperate sort of urgency.

"I _do_ like strong irritating women with tempers who can kick my ass and won't take any _shit_ from me." he confessed against her mouth between heated kisses and it took her a few moments to remember her little speech. "And, yeah… I'm attracted to _that_ but, _fuck_ , Effie… With that succubus… When you kicked down that door… You had a sword in one hand… A fireball in the other…" The relentless kisses made it very hard to focus on what he was saying but focus she _did_ because it sounded very interesting. And pleasing. And she _wished_ she had thought to send the children… _somewhere_ before she had started making tea. "That was so hot… I wanted you _so bad_ … You're so _fucking_ hot… Remember thinking… You're the hottest woman I've ever seen… Don't care if you're using swords or knives or stakes or _fucking_ fireballs…" His hands had somehow tugged her blouse out of her skirt and his palms were running under the fabric, ghosting over her ribs… "So _fucking_ hot… You're a _fucking_ badass… How do you _not_ know that? So _fucking_ gorgeous too… Smart…" His mouth wandered down her jaw, to her neck… "So _fucking_ perfect…"

She wasn't entirely sure how her hands had ended up in his hair but she tugged at its roots, pulling him back to her mouth so she could kiss him again…

"The children are waiting for us." she regretfully reminded him when his fingers toyed with the clasp of her bra.

He groaned in disappointment but wisely stepped back after a few more kisses. He leaned against the table while she hopped off the counter.

"For the record…" he grumbled. "It's unfair we get cockblocked by our kids when we didn't even get to have fun _making_ them."

She shook her head at him and quickly fixed her clothes, letting him vent all he wanted because she knew he was simply trying to convince his erection to go away. It was _his_ fault, really, he should have known better than to start something they couldn't finish.

"I cannot have children." She tossed it out there, casually, just in case the comment was aimed at more than expressing his frustration. He was unwilling to talk about their relationship or its casualness so the idea that he was actually considering making babies with her was probably stupid but…

"I don't want children." he replied, just as casually. He left it at that. He didn't add that he had buried enough of them even though she heard it anyway.

It was wonderful how adept they were at conveying important things through fake nonchalance.

"Then it is probably a good thing we found some already made and almost grown up, isn't it?" she retorted brightly.

"Probably." he humored her, letting his hand trail on her waist when she walked past him. "Ain't that tea cold by now?"

She glanced down at the mug she had grabbed by reflex. It must have been lukewarm at best but she couldn't go back to the library without it given that her whole excuse for spending so long in the kitchen had been _making tea_. If she came back empty-handed the children would know that they had been..

 _The children would know that they had been arguing far from prying ears because they had no reason to suspect they had almost jumped each other_ _'s_ _bones_ , she corrected herself.

"Probably. You ruined my tea." she sighed. " _Typical_."

He smirked at the teasing tone under the fake aggravation and pushed himself up to follow after her. He quickened his stride to push past her right before they reached the library.

"The things I'm gonna do to you tonight, Princess…" he whispered in her ear, making her shiver.

She was certain his face let nothing on, so she did her best to school her own features into a neutral expression.

Prim, Katniss and Peeta still exchanged the knowing looks she was quickly getting used to and she preferred to pretend didn't exist.

"So." Haymitch said, flopping down on one of the empty chairs around the table. "Battle plan. Go, Katniss. How are you gonna deal with two big lizards and their katanas?"

Effie sat down far more gracefully, noticing without really noting that Prim had her homework in front of her even though she didn't seem to have made much of a head start. She flashed the girl an approving smile and the twelve years old beamed back at her at the small attention. They should spend more time with Prim in a not-demon-related way, Effie mused and she vowed to talk to Haymitch about it later.

When Katniss would be done glaring at him. "You were supposed to explain what they _were_."

She pursed her lips at the Slayer's hostile tone but Haymitch didn't even blink. "How's that stopping you from figuring out how to take out demons with katanas?"

"You said they were more samurai than ninjas?" Peeta politely cut in, aiming his question at Effie.

"I meant the Order of Tarakas is known to have a code of honor." she answered, shooting Haymitch a _look_. "And getting to know your enemy _before_ trying to vanquish him is not a bad thing." Katniss proudly jutted her head up and gave Haymitch a look, smug and triumphant. Sometimes, Effie felt as if she was dealing with two particularly annoying brats. " _However_ , these demons did not show any magical talent that you saw and you should have at least a few ideas about how to approach that battle."

Katniss deflated and Haymitch slouched a little more on his chair, propping his left ankle on his right knee. It was his turn to look smug and triumphant.

It looked better on him than it did on the girl.

Effie tried not to be too infuriated.

"They're some kind of freaky genetic mutation from another race of demons." he finally droned out.

"The original race scorned them." Effie hummed, tracing the rim on her mug with a distracted finger. "The name itself is a mockery. In that demon's language Tarakas means sewer."

"They're calling themselves the Order of the Sewer?" Prim asked, eyebrows shooting high.

"They took it as a badge of pride after they slaughtered their brethrens." she winced. "They are assassins, mercenaries… But they only take on contracts if they deem the target worthy."

"The Council hired them a few times although they will probably never own up to that…" Haymitch snorted. Effie shot him a surprised look and he shrugged. "Don't look like you don't know some shady stuff happens behind closed doors."

"Okay, great." Katniss interjected. "So they're assassins and they're after me. It's the Careers, yeah?"

"Likely." Haymitch approved. "We need to swing by Ripper's to see if she has leads about the witch anyway… We can always ask."

"We have been making a dent in their newborn vampires army." Effie sighed. "I do not think it is a leap to conclude it _is_ them. They are more likely trying to keep you busy for a little while. Which worries me…"

"You think the Reaping's close." Haymitch guessed.

She tapped her finger against the rim of her mug thoughtfully. "We have been waiting for them to make a move for weeks. Mother must be right… Somehow, there _must_ be some element missing from their ritual…"

"So we figure out what it is." Haymitch shrugged. "First thing first… The sewer lizards." There was a taunting edge to his tone, as if he didn't really considered the Order of Tarakas to be a real threat. He hadn't been that dismissive earlier with a katana at his throat. "Katniss. Battle plan."

Katniss was many things but a tactician was not one of them. She tended to rush into battle, not think ahead.

"What does it matter?" the girl scorned. "We don't know when they will attack again and…"

"Effie's gonna send a message. You want a place and a time." Haymitch countered.

"How are you going to send a message?" Peeta frowned and then his expression brightened, leaning forward toward her. "Are you going to use magic? Can I help?"

Effie fought her smile faced with his enthusiasm. The boy had _barely_ managed to move a pencil and he already wanted to do complex summoning rituals – which she had strictly forbidden on pain of being grounded until he came of age.

"I will send a mail. They have a website." she answered.

The teenagers all gaped at her.

She didn't look at Haymitch. Because she was pretty sure Haymitch was fighting off his own laughter.

"This is not the nineties anymore!" she huffed, a little defensively. "One has to live with their time. Even demons."

Katniss was the first to recover. "Alright. Fine. Why would we send a message?"

" _Think_." Haymitch encouraged, managing to sound both supporting and mocking all at once.

"If we choose the place, we're more in control." Peeta answered when it was clear the girl wouldn't. " _And_ we can make sure nobody accidentally gets hurt."

"Except us or the demons." Katniss deadpanned, turning back toward Haymitch. "But even if we kill those two, they're just gonna send more, aren't they?"

Effie and Haymitch shook their heads at the same time.

"Unlikely." she determined. "They are sterile and there aren't many of them. You already killed one and I suspect the Careers only hired three. They do not come cheap. If you kill them all, the Order will refund the Careers and they will leave it at that. Three deaths in their rank would already be a disaster for them."

Katniss watched her for a few minutes and then shrugged. "Then we get them to the woods and we kill them."

"Why the woods?" Haymitch asked, a little impatiently.

"Cause you wanted me to control the place." the girl sighed.

Haymitch rubbed his face, looking both tired and a little desperate. "Effie, why are the woods the worst idea ever?"

She pursed her lips because she didn't like feeling like she was back at school. She also didn't like the idea that he was training her to take his place.

"Assuming we are doing this tonight, there will be limited visibility." she explained slowly, so the girl could follow her reasoning. Katniss didn't appear particularly grateful for the lesson. "Besides, you know the woods but _we_ do not so we would be liabilities when we could both be otherwise helpful. Our movements would also be limited. _And_ I would risk setting the whole forest aflame."

"What, you mean if you _actually_ use magic instead of _just_ standing there this time?" Katniss snorted.

Effie recoiled a little, hurt passing on her face before she managed to school her features again.

The girl made a face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. I know you were trying to help."

Effie stood up. "I will go get changed. Haymitch, text me with the time and place and I will send a mail."

"Sit back down, we're not done." he dismissed her with a lazy wave of his hand. "Battle plan."

Katniss rolled her eyes. "I _suck_ at battle plans. _That's_ what you want me to say?"

Effie slowly sat down because she thought she could _feel_ what was left of Haymitch's patience evaporating. "What are the assets at your disposal?"

The Slayer stared at her blankly and then shrugged. "I won't be able to use my bow and the knives weren't a good idea so… Sword?"

"Sword." Effie agreed. "However, I did not mean that sort of assets. You have Haymitch and I. We each have our own particular sets of skills. What would you want us to do?"

The blank stare became stormy and Katniss scowled as if she had personally insulted her. "You're not _assets_ , you're _people_. You're _family_. And you're not taking any risks."

The simple honesty in the girl's voice moved her.

"Hard decisions." Haymitch muttered.

For her benefits, Effie supposed.

She sighed. "Fine. Here is a battle plan: we will use the smallest graveyard in the north. The field is as flat as we are going to get without taking it to town, it is open and it will limit the risk of civilians getting caught in the middle. You and Haymitch will engage one of them _with swords_ , I will take on the second one with magic. We kill them. You and I go on a short patrol while Haymitch visits his favorite demon bar for information. We come home and go to bed."

Haymitch smirked. "I can live with that."

Somehow, she had the feeling he meant the _go to bed_ part. She shot him _a look_.

"What do I do?" Peeta asked. "You forgot me."

"I did not." Effie denied. "I would like you to stay home with Prim. The Village is protected but they sent assassins after us so I would _still_ feel better if…"

"Yes, of course." the boy agreed at once, nudging Prim's shoulder. "Sounds like it's you and me and pizza tonight."

Katniss smiled gratefully at him and Effie relaxed. She had feared complaining and arguments but she should have known better. Peeta was not Gale.

She checked the clock and calculated. "Well… I think we earned ourselves an hour of downtime before we have to head out. Haymitch?"

He nodded his agreement.

They both started to stand up only to freeze at the same moment when they realized the children were sharing awkward looks.

"What now?" Haymitch sighed, placing his hands on the wooden round table and leaning forward.

There were more awkward looks, a few ' _you go first'_ motions between the three of them and, at last, Peeta flashed them his best sheepish smile…

"Funny story… We wanted to ask if we could skip patrol Saturday so we could have a movie night?"

Haymitch pinched the bridge of his nose as if he was fighting a particularly virulent headache.

Effie pursed her lips hard to fight a laugh.

* * *

 _Well, at least hayffie seems to have made up ;) Let me know your thoughts!_

 _For beta reason, we'll go on a small hiatus for the hollidays =) so we'll back on air on the 5th ;)_


	56. E7: The Way Of The Warrior (5)

5

* * *

The silence in the car was uncomfortable but Katniss didn't think it was her fault for once. Still, she regretted submitting herself to that short drive – with Effie being in the mood she was in – instead of hopping on the bike behind Haymitch. She had limited patience for the witch's weird antics.

But the way Haymitch had watched the witch when she had strutted out of her house that night, tossing him a look as if to challenge him to comment on her outfit, had made Katniss roll her eyes and climb in Effie's car, slamming the door behind her to remind them they had an audience. There were things she didn't want to see and her Watchers making eyes at each other was one of them.

Still, she hated how awkward the ride was when they might have been going to their deaths and there might or might not have been a weird moment with Peeta before she had left. She had simply taken advantage of being alone with him in the living-room to ask him to take care of Prim if she didn't come back. It hadn't been anything she hadn't asked before but there had been a weird… _intensity_. She thought she _would_ have kissed him then… So of course Haymitch had barked at her to move her ass from the other room.

Maybe her mood wasn't the best either.

As for _Effie_ 's uncharacteristic gloominess that night… It was probably linked to the nasty comments Haymitch had made that afternoon. And maybe she shouldn't have made that gibe about Effie not getting more involved in the fight during the meeting. It had been unfair and unwarranted. She had simply hated the way Haymitch had been interrogating the two of them in turns as if he was pitting them against each other. She hated the fact that she had felt _lacking_ when he had praised Effie for her answers and belittled her for hers. As if he was determined to show her how a real Slayer should think.

It wasn't _her_ fault she hadn't been brought up to think like a proper warrior. _She_ hadn't been detected as a Potential – and it was probably for the best because she couldn't imagine not growing up with Prim. She was learning on the job and she wasn't doing such a bad job of it in her opinion.

She sneaked a glance at Effie, wondering what that must have been like: growing up knowing you might be Called, getting groomed for a fight lost before it had begun, getting schooled in how to survive as long as possible… The witch had never developed on her past as a Potential. It had been swept under the rug in the midst of the fear demon attack and while she had made a few indirect references to ' _her Watcher'_ , it was the most she had said about it.

Despite herself, Katniss was curious.

What did it mean to be brought up as a potential Slayer-to-be?

She couldn't bring herself to ask. Not now when Effie looked so somber and was wearing clothes that were positively _bleak_ for her. She didn't think she had ever seen the woman wear all black before and she wondered if it was what had impacted her mood so thoroughly.

The Watcher-witch was all leather that night. Skin-tight leggings under thigh-high heeled leather boots, a black corset that seemed to come straight out of the old reruns of _Xena_ that sometimes aired on TV and a leather jacket, everything in black except for the glittery golden butterfly printed on the back of the biker-style jacket. Even the butterfly didn't ruin the overall effect though. Her hair was braided up into a crown with only a few free strands falling here and there. It usually made her look soft when she did her hair like that but that night it looked… Well, it looked _hard_.

She looked like a warrior.

She looked ready _to kick ass_ and Katniss was a bit envious because she hadn't bothered to dress up and she was only wearing washed-out jeans, a green sweater, an old jacket and her hair was still in the same loose braid it had been all day.

Maybe proper Slayers dressed in black and leather to go fight demons but she had missed the entry in the _Vampyr_ book. Or maybe it was something proper Slayers knew because their Watchers told them before they hit puberty.

How was she expected to know?

It was unfair.

And it was unfair of Haymitch to demand she made battle plans when he had been making it clear since the very beginning that he was in charge of tactics because she sucked at that. If he was disappointed in her…

She abruptly turned to look through the passenger's window, not liking the direction her thoughts were taking. It must have betrayed her irritation because Effie startled and spared her a glance, as if she had been so lost in her own thoughts she had entirely forgotten she was there.

"Everything will be fine, dear." the witch promised, her voice soft and comforting. "You are perfectly capable of dealing with this threat."

"Good to know you think I can handle _sewer mutts_." she grumbled.

She almost made a petty remark about how they _clearly_ didn't trust her with the Careers and couldn't even admit it to her face but she swallowed it back. The fact was… She didn't want to hear them actually say it out loud.

Effie let out a long sigh. "I apologize, I am not the best company tonight. The day was rather trying, was it not? _Nevertheless_ …" The cheer that returned in the woman's voice was so obviously forced Katniss winced. "It is _no_ excuse to be so gloomy. Should we listen to some music?"

The songs in her playlist were absolutely ridiculous and after only a minute, Katniss was forced to bite back her smile as Effie sang along to _Walking on Sunshine._ She could carry a tune, at least, but Katniss wasn't surprised. Was there _anything_ – aside from cooking – Effie Trinket didn't know how to do?

"You know we're going to a _fight to the death_ with lizard demons, yeah?" she joked, unable to stop the laughter from entering her voice.

Effie's only answer was to turn the volume up and flash her a smile, singing even louder, silently daring her to join along. Katniss rolled her eyes and shook her head but after a few well aimed pokes in her side, she humored her by humming.

By the time the car reached the cemetery, they had played the song three times and were less singing than shouting the lyrics at the top of their lungs. It was crazy and over the top and Katniss had never done anything that absurd before, except maybe with Prim, but when Effie cut off the engine, she was feeling light and positive ready to take on the world.

The witch's restored good mood seemed to deem when Haymitch's bike flashed by the car and stopped a few feet away. She watched him get off the bike and take off his helmet thoughtfully before glancing at the backseat of the car.

Katniss followed her gaze and made a face at the two swords that rested there.

One of them was hers.

Haymitch's was slung over his shoulder like it tended to be when they went on patrol nowadays.

The third one belonged to Effie. The witch had been wearing it swinging on her hip when she had walked out of her house. At first Katniss had thought it was just an accessory to complete the outfit – because she _would_ do crazy things like that – but it was only when Effie had carefully placed the blade on the backseat that she had realized the woman intended to use it as a last resort.

She had realized it because the sword actually suited Effie far much better than anything Haymitch could have lent her. The length was shorter than Katniss' or even Haymitch's but it was better for Effie's built and while she hadn't lifted it, the girl was certain it was lighter too. She was pretty sure it had been custommade but it didn't look new either so…

"You don't have to use that." she said quietly, her own good mood darkening. "Use your magic if you can. And if you can't, I will take care of them. _Fuck_ what Haymitch thinks."

"Language." the witch chided with a disapproving look.

She didn't have time to say any more. Haymitch opened Effie's door and leaned one forearm on the roof to better peer inside with a mocking expression. "If you're both done having your little karaoke party…"

Katniss narrowed her eyes at him. "There's _no_ _way_ you heard us."

The windows had been up and the roar of the bike would have covered any sound anyway.

"Heard you, no." he taunted. "Saw you wiggle on your seats like you had bees in your knickers, now…"

"Why do you always have to be so vulgar." Effie clucked her tongue, swinging her legs out of the car in a gracious move. Haymitch stepped back to leave her room but his eyes strayed on her body appreciatively and Katniss strongly regretted Peeta's absence. Being the third wheel to those two was _never_ fun even for her who tended to be oblivious most of the time.

The girls sheathed their swords in silence under Haymitch's watchful gaze. He didn't look amused or mocking anymore, he looked deadly serious. He checked that Katniss had hidden blades in her boots and strapped to her forearms three times. She still wished her bow had been an option.

At first glance the graveyard seemed deserted.

They didn't even see a hint of a vampire, fledging or otherwise, as they walked down the sinuous alleys. There weren't many vaults in that cemetery and they could see far ahead – which was why Effie had chosen it, she supposed – but there was also not the slightest hint of lizard samurais.

And yet, there was something in the air that made her hair stand straight on her arms.

Effie was humming _Walking on Sunshine_ under her breath without seemingly realizing it. Haymitch kept tossing her incredulous looks that she didn't notice. Eventually, the Watcher locked eyes with Katniss and they both looked away fighting a smile.

"They are here." Effie suddenly announced, a fraction of a second before a cloud of smoke appeared in front of them and reassembled as one of the lizard demons. And if there was only one, it meant… "This one is mine."

The witch didn't wait for confirmation or approval to engage the demon with fireballs, frost and _whatever_. Katniss didn't stop to look, she whirled around at the same time Haymitch did, unsheathing their swords just in time to meet the strike from the second demon's katana.

She engaged him from the front while Haymitch took his flank, harassing him and stopping him from anything too daring. Still, the demon turned and dodged and hit right back and they couldn't make a dent in his defense.

At one point, Katniss swung her sword down in a murderous strike, knowing the thick leather of his armor would probably protect him but thinking any damage was good damage. The demon _poofed_ out of the way and reappeared behind her. She barely had time to duck and roll forward, dragged by the momentum of her strike, correctly reading Haymitch's body language as he aimed a swing at her head.

The demon met his sword with his katana.

Katniss chanced a glance at Effie to see she had abandoned her magic for the sword. Her demon seemed worse for the wear but still fighting strong. She seemed to be holding her own though so Katniss focused on her own fight.

Haymitch, however, did not.

It was plain to see her Watcher was distracted, trying to follow the other fight instead of finishing this one. Split attention in close quarters was never good and Katniss bore it for five minutes, compensating for him and shielding him with her own sword when his lapse in focus put him in dangerous positions before she risked another glance at Effie only to see her fly in the air.

"Go." she ordered Haymitch without a second thought. He hesitated, adjusting his grip on the hilt of his sword. Katniss' face hardened. " _Go_. I can take this one."

Whatever the demon's hissed answer meant – probably an insult – Katniss met it with a face of her own and put more strength in her strike.

There was no denying he had the superior skills.

But she had her Slayer strength and speed on her side.

And she knew, deep down, that it was only a matter of time before she killed it.

* * *

 _dum dum duuum. A little cliffhanger to better start this new year ;) Did you enjoy this chapter? Let me know your thoughts!_


	57. E7: The Way Of The Warrior (6)

6

* * *

It started well enough.

"This one is mine." Effie declared flatly, studying the lizard armed with a katana.

The saurian's eyes fell on the sword swinging at her hip and adopted a fighting stance, legs bent, left hand in front of him, katana held at an awkward angle over his head…

Effie snorted. "I do not think so."

She slammed her palms together in front of her, conjuring the familiar fireballs, then she twirled her hands, creating a whirlwind of flames. It was a new spell, one she had never had an occasion to try in battle before. It only took a second for the demon to realize she didn't intend to fight with steel but, by the time he tried to jump on her, she had unleashed the whirlwind and pushed it toward him.

The fire inferno met him straight in the plexus and hurled him back but it didn't kill him. He _did_ look a little singed though, she had definitely drawn blue blood. One of the tombstones had crumbled under his weight, she immediately summoned ice to encase him there. A part of her remained on high alert with her own powers. She hadn't really been forced to _fight_ like this since she had unlocked her hidden source of power, patrols were tiring but not particularly challenging, and she was weary of reaching her limits. She was waiting for the strain even as she made the frost creep all over the demon, hoping to completely ice him so the cold could kill it…

She hadn't expected him to sift.

She saw the volutes of smoke inside the half-finished case of ice and she barely had the presence of mind to drop to the side before the demon appeared behind her. She was on the ground with no room to take her sword out to block his slash so she lifted both hands and used her magic instead. The katana glided over empty air instead of finishing its deadly arc toward her neck… She rolled over, inwardly complaining at the dirt staining her clothes, and stood back up, another spell already on her lips.

The demon dodged her fireball and came in close again, forcing her to step back to avoid the blade.

She couldn't keep stepping back. Not with all the tombstones in the way. It would only be a matter of time before she tripped and fell down again.

With a curse, she unsheathed her sword. She had taken it as a precaution but she hadn't intended to use it. Not _ever again_ , truthfully. Caesar had had it especially made for her seventeenth birthday – and she had appreciated the designer shoes that came with it a lot more than she had the weapon – it was _perfect_ for her build and reach. It was supposed to feel like an extension of her arm. To her, it was a dead weight. Her nails dug painfully in the heel of her palm around the hilt and while she could whirl the blade around well enough, it wasn't comfortable.

What had she told Haymitch earlier? She could defend herself if pressed but it had never become natural?

Drops of blue demon blood flew around as the lizard engaged her. With a growl, she muttered another spell. There was a flash of light that blinded both of them long enough that she managed to push him back. Just a little. Just for a brief moment.

The demon had centuries of katana fighting under his belt though and that skill was different enough from traditional fencing that Effie lost her advantage quickly. _And_ she was starting to feel the strain. Not only in muscles that weren't as honed as they should have remained for this type of activity but in her center. She played her last card and ignited the sword. Flames licked at the lizard's armor when she managed to get a good hit to his arm but the cut wasn't deep enough and she had left her flank open.

In the short second the demon used to twist on himself and kick out with his foot, she told herself she should have seen it coming.

The ache when his sole connected with her ribs was nothing compared to the shock of being projected in the air or the agony when her flight was stopped by a tombstone. The pain came with a moment of delay. Her back hit granite, her head flew backwards before bouncing back toward her chest, blood filled her mouth when she bit down on her tongue and she could have honestly counted the stars that danced in front of her eyes…

She saw the demon slowly make his way toward her, raising his katana for the kill…

With the last measure of strength she had in her body, she muttered a spell, tried to send the katana flying… She barely managed to deflect the blade's trajectory enough that its tip sliced from her shoulder to her collarbone instead of the blunt of the weapon splitting her neck from her body…

She didn't really understand what was going on when she was suddenly splashed in blue goo.

It was only when she forced herself to look up and saw Haymitch standing there, behind the lizard that was suddenly missing a head, that she realized there _had_ been a beheading after all.

It was possible she laughed.

Next thing she knew, Haymitch was stepping over the falling body of the demon and he was kneeling at her side, pressing his dirty hand on the wound.

"If you were trying to make a point with the sword fighting, you failed. 'Cause that was pretty _fucking_ good. See? Told you you could fight." he mumbled, his voice urgent and scared.

"Told you I wouldn't win." she rasped out.

"Yeah, well…" he scoffed. "Maybe I'm gonna give you _that_ point 'cause I don't think I want to see you face a demon again any time soon."

"Help Katniss." she demanded.

He tossed a glance over his shoulder and then shook his head. "She's fine. She's got it."

She hummed her agreement because she had known Katniss would be more than equal to the challenge. She probably _could_ have taken the two out without their help, even. She tried to push herself up but slouched back down with a small whimper.

" _Easy_." Haymitch said immediately. "Take it easy. That was quite a kick you took."

Her head was spinning and her whole body hurt. "I think it was the tombstone that did me in."

"Yeah. Probably." he agreed. "Anything broken? You can move your legs? Arms?" She obliged by rotating her ankles and moving her fingers so he could see if everything was in working order. "Good. Okay. Any chance you can heal yourself?"

"Unlikely." she groaned. She wanted to spit the blood in her mouth but she couldn't bring herself to do that in public so she swallowed instead. It was a mistake. It made her want to be sick. "How bad is it?"

He lifted the hand pressed on her shoulder a little to take another look at the wound.

"It's bleeding bad. You need stitches for sure." he answered. "I'm not sure your collarbone ain't broken. How are your ribs?"

"Everything hurts…" she grumbled. "How should I know?"

He snorted but it wasn't amused. He glanced away for a moment and then back at her. "Katniss's almost done. I'm gonna take you to the hospital."

"Covered in blue goo? How will you explain _that_?" she objected.

"Prank gone wrong." he dismissed.

" _Again_?" she huffed. "You need to work on your cover stories."

She moved her head a little too quickly and winced. He gently cupped her cheek, his thumb tracing the line of her jaw…

"Effie!" Katniss shouted and, suddenly, there was another presence kneeling at her side. The girl was all wide eyes. There was a cut on her forehead and strikes of blue on her clothes and neck…

"I am fine." she promised because she hated the worry she could read in the girl's eyes.

The Slayer didn't look convinced. She searched Haymitch's gaze and it annoyed Effie to no end that they seemed to have a silent conversation about her when she was _right there_. Then the conversation wasn't so silent but Effie's ears were ringing too much for her to follow it properly. Haymitch was telling the girl he wanted to take her to the hospital, Katniss was questioning the wisdom of _moving_ her…

"I do not want to go to the hospital." Effie complained. "I _always_ end up in the hospital."

"That's 'cause you're reckless and I'm a fucking idiot to push you." Haymitch replied, running his thumb up and down her jaw with open tenderness. "You think you can get up?"

"Of course, I can get up." she lied. "I am telling you I do _not_ need a hospital."

It took ten minutes to get her back to her feet and she had a lot of difficulties remaining upward once they had managed to haul her up without hurting her too much. The wound on her shoulder was still bleeding and she leaned heavily on Haymitch because her ribs were sore and walking demanded a lot of focus.

"I can carry you." he suggested for the third time as the cemetery gates came in sight.

She refused again. She was pretty sure that it would hurt even more if he carried her. Her back was bruising already and she didn't have enough strength to heal herself.

She protested going to the hospital again when they reached the car and he forced her to lie down on the backseat, arranging her legs and arms so she would be as comfortable as possible. She wanted to make a joke about that but Katniss had perched herself on the passenger's seat and had stuck her head between the two front seats to better watch her and she swallowed it back. The swords were tossed on the car's floor without any care and she should have told them off about that – not only because one ought to treat one's weapon with respect but because they would damage her car. Not that anyone was interested in what she had to say. Haymitch used the whole packet of wipes she kept in the glove compartment to get as much of the demon blood off her as he could.

"What about the bike?" Katniss asked when he finally slid behind the wheel.

Probably because she knew just how much he cared about that thing, Effie mused, sometimes he treated it like a living thing.

"I'll come back for it tomorrow." he grumbled. "Never mind the _fucking_ bike."

That was the last thing she heard before she lost consciousness and it made her feel warm inside.

It was possible it was just the broken ribs though...

* * *

 _Guess who ends up in the hospital AGAIN? Poor Effie, I hope she gets free jello out of this ;) I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Let me know your thoughts!_


	58. E7: The Way Of The Warrior (7)

7

* * *

Peeta was out the door and in the street before Haymitch had properly cut the engine off. A small smile stretched Katniss' lips and she was relieved to be able to extricate herself from the car because she had spent the whole trip trying not to lean against the fresh blue stains that covered the backseats. The boy was at her side in seconds, a bold hand seeking her shoulder while he looked her up and down with wide eyes, fear and relief battling on his face.

"Are you alright?" he asked in a breath.

"I _told_ you. I'm fine." she grumbled but she couldn't _quite_ sound displeased. Not when his thumb was unconsciously rubbing comforting circles on her shoulder. He watched her a little longer and then his gaze darted to the other side of the car with real concern.

Haymitch had walked around the car while Peeta had been inspecting her and he was now helping Effie out. It wasn't as easy as it sounded. The witch had refused to stay in the hospital despite all the doctor had to say about it – the doctor and _Haymitch_. Her arm was in a sling so she wouldn't pull on the stitches that stretched from her shoulder, close to her neck, to her collarbone. Her ribs were sore but not cracked, which was the only reason she got out of an overnight stay. Katniss knew she was also bruised all over because she had helped her into the hospital paper gown and then back into her own clothes. Her back had already started to turn a sick color of pale blue and yellow in the ER, it made moving difficult.

Plus, the painkillers.

She had bitched about having to take painkillers all the way home but she hadn't protested too much at the hospital so Katniss wasn't sure what was the point. Haymitch had glanced in the rearview mirror and had told her not to mind, that this kind of pills could mess with anyone's head and Effie wasn't all there to begin with. Needless to say, Effie hadn't liked the joke.

She had decided that the one-sided bickering was perhaps worse than the incessant arguing they usually did. The fact that Haymitch had refused to play along had only encouraged Effie to further antagonize him.

It had been a long drive.

"Effie…" Peeta breathed out with clear distress when Haymitch finally managed to get her out of her – far too small – car and the halo from the lamplight hit her straight in the face. Before Katniss could tell him it looked worse than it probably was, he had rounded the car and was holding Effie's free hand. "Are you okay? Can't you… Are you _okay_?"

Miraculously, Effie didn't start ranting at him about painkillers and why she hated them. She blinked a few times and it took a while for her to focus her gaze on him, to focus _at all_ , really. Without Haymitch, Katniss wasn't sure she would have managed to stay upright, even if she was too stubborn to admit it.

"Peeta…" Her voice was weak at best but the witch forced a smile. "I am alright, I promise. Just a few bruises." He frowned a little, as if in rebuke, and she amended. "And perhaps a few stitches. Everything will be far better in the morning when my head won't be so clouded and I will be able to cast a spell."

"You wouldn't have been doing magic right now anyway so stop bitching about those _fucking_ painkillers." Haymitch snapped. The way he led her to his house was in total contrast to the bite in his words though. It was gentle.

Katniss made an effort not to roll her eyes again. She had been rolling her eyes the whole trip to the hospital. Haymitch had been acting… _weird_. She had been worried too at first, of course, but the doctor had quickly assessed Effie was not in danger and it had reassured her. She had started treating the hospital trip the same way Effie had been doing: like an inconvenience. Haymitch, on the other hand, had pestered everyone to give her more tests, CTs and what not, insisting she had hit her back very badly and more generally telling people how to do their jobs, right up until Effie had snapped at him to go take a walk outside. He had stormed out and, when he had come back, there had been whiskey on his breath but he had been calmer.

"I told Prim everything was fine." Peeta recounted, falling back next to Katniss as the four of them made a slow advance toward the house. "She wouldn't have gone to bed. She already wanted to wait… I thought if Effie could do a healing spell in the morning, there was no point in her knowing… She would only worry…"

Katniss reached for his hand and squeezed. It was a thank you but she wasn't sure if Peeta took it that way because he distractedly entwined their fingers, his eyes still tracking every of Effie's painfully slow moves.

"Good idea, kid." Haymitch praised, glancing at him over his shoulder. His grey eyes eventually slid down to their joined hands and Katniss defiantly jutted her chin up but he didn't make a comment. "You're staying here tonight."

"I do not need a minder." Effie complained. "I _am_ perfectly capable of…"

" _Fucking_ humor me." Haymitch cut her off in a tone that wasn't a request.

The witch pursed her lips but didn't argue further.

"We never got around to interrogating Ripper." Katniss pointed out, short of stepping inside the house. "Do you want me to go now?"

She did her best to hide the exhaustion from her voice. If she had to hike all the way across town to beat answers out of a demon bar's owner, she _would_. But…

"I can drive." Peeta suggested, his own voice lukewarm at the prospect. Probably because he had made himself comfortable and he was already wearing pajama pants and a soft looking long-sleeved shirt. And no shoes.

Haymitch paused in the hallway to adjust his hold on Effie, locking eyes with her in the process, seeking her opinion. Katniss could have told him the witch clearly _didn't_ have an opinion that wasn't the necessity of crashing down on a bed.

"We'll take care of that tomorrow…" he decided, letting his voice trail off as if he wasn't entirely sure it was the right move. "Everyone goes to bed for now. It's a school night."

The words were so strange in their normality that they all stood there to consider them.

Peeta was the first to snort. Then Katniss was laughing so hard her belly hurt. Even Effie giggled but that might have been the painkillers.

"Seriously though…" Haymitch added with a smirk, clearly pleased at having made them all laugh. "Don't stay up too late. We all need some rest."

She watched her Watchers start to climb up the stairs and then rubbed her face.

"I've warmed up some pizza for you." Peeta said, his hand brushing down her arm lightly. "I know you're always hungry after a fight…"

That made her smile. She _was_ hungry even though she had raided the vending machine at the hospital with all the money she had managed to pinch from Haymitch's jacket pocket while he wasn't looking.

"I need a shower first." She made a face at her own smell. It was never good when you could smell yourself, she supposed. And that was without taking into account the bloodstains both from the demon and Effie's wound.

"Sure." He shrugged, burying his hands in his pockets. "I'll wait. There's fresh bread too." Her eyebrows twitched and he shrugged again, looking nervous. "I bake when I'm stressed."

"Effie will be fine." she promised firmly.

He offered her a poor excuse of a smile but didn't look entirely reassured. "Do you think she would like a cup of tea? Or… Or some chamomile? She drinks chamomile before bed sometimes… She says it helps her get in a good mindset to sleep."

He looked so anxious to help the witch, Katniss mused. A part of her could understand because if it had been _Haymitch_ who had been hurt… She loved Effie too, of course. Effie had proven herself to be an invaluable member of the team, more than that, as far as Katniss was concerned, she was _family_. But Effie wasn't Haymitch. Haymitch was…

She glanced up the stairs to make sure the Watchers had finished their painful ascension and weren't anywhere within earshot.

"I think you better leave them alone or you're going to see something you won't be able to unsee." she advised. _Wisely_ , in her opinion. At the hospital, she was pretty sure Haymitch had almost forgotten himself a few times and would have kissed her right in front of her if Effie hadn't narrowed her eyes at him every time. The doctor had thought they were married. Go figure.

Peeta snorted and then nodded. "Haymitch freaked out?"

"Worse than you did." she confirmed, rolling her eyes. "Even when the doctor said she was okay. He kept spiraling out."

"Can you blame him though?" Peeta asked, lowering his voice. "After all the people he lost…"

She didn't want to talk about losing people at three a.m. when they just had a close call. She muttered something about taking a shower again and took off upstairs without bothering with the lights. The soft glow of a lamp was spilling on the corridor's floorboard and she heard the deep rumble of Haymitch's voice telling Effie to stop wriggling if she wanted out of her clothes. She hurried to her own room, careful not to wake Prim as she grabbed her pajamas and a zip-up hoodie. She had told herself it would be a quick shower but she had troubles convincing herself to get out from under the warm stream of water.

She almost crawled to her bed to go to sleep despite the gnawing hunger twisting her belly so she had been pretty certain Peeta would have grown tired of waiting for her but he was in the kitchen when she walked in, sitting at the table and doodling. He did a double take when he saw her and she self-consciously pulled the zipper up because she wasn't wearing a bra and it was cold enough that it would show and…

Why was she so nervous around Peeta lately? She hated that. It wasn't her. It really wasn't.

And yet there she was, braiding her wet hair over her shoulder to keep her hands busy and her mind occupied…

"Here." Peeta said, standing up to fish a plate out of the microwave. He also grabbed a loaf of bread that immediately made her mouth water.

"Thanks." she mumbled and it was still awkward even when she started eating and he started sketching again. She followed the lines of his pencil with her eyes but only realized he was drawing Effie's face when he moved his hand a little to the right… He had drawn her with her hair up in that crown and the hard expression on her face from earlier, the one that had made her look so much like a warrior. Like a _Slayer_. He had made her look so… There was so much care in the drawing, so much obvious _admiration_ … She couldn't help the stab of jealousy even if she knew it was stupid. "You really love her."

The words sounded flat.

Peeta glanced up in surprise, a small frown on his face. "Of course, I do." He studied her for a moment and then his face relaxed into an amused expression. "She's been more of a mom to me in a few months than my real mom has been all my life so… Yeah. I love her. Like a mom."

She had known that, of course. _Of course_ , she had known that.

Just like she knew Haymitch didn't _really_ wish Effie was his Slayer instead of Katniss. She was just being stupid.

And yet she stared hard at the half-finished slice of pizza on her plate, clenching her teeth because she was blushing again and _she didn't blush_.

"Katniss…" he said quietly, turning the pages of his sketchbook until he found the drawing he was looking for. He turned it toward her so she could see it, see a sketched version of herself with a bow, her features schooled into determination, her braid caught in mid-swing behind her… There was even more care in that drawing, even more… "She's not the only one I love."

Her heart was beating so fast and so hard she was sure it was in her throat.

"Like a mom?" she croaked, hoping the joke would break the tension.

She couldn't bring herself to look at him again. She dragged her eyes from the drawing to her pizza, already knowing she wouldn't be able to eat another bite if she tried.

"Yeah." he humored her, laughter in his voice. "Like a mom." She chanced a glance at him, found only fondness and amusement on his face and managed a small smile. He nodded at her plate. "Finish your pizza, _mom_."

She wrinkled her nose. "That's weird."

" _You_ 're weird." he accused but there was no heat in his voice, none of the mockery other kids at school used when they called her a freak. It was teasing, tender… _Patient_.

" _Shut up_." She kicked his ankle under the table, keeping her strength in check so she wouldn't hurt him.

"I'd say _make me_ but I don't want you to run away upstairs." he joked, his cheeks turning a little red. He rubbed the back of his neck in an embarrassed sort of way.

It took her a second to figure out _how_ she could have silenced him and her mouth was suddenly very dry. There was a weird sensation in her belly, something that wasn't quite hunger and yet was, but she firmly put a lid on it for now.

"I never run away." she lied and forced herself to take another bite of her pizza as if everything was fine.

He went back to his sketching, a small secret smile stretching the corner of his lips.

"I know." he granted. "You always end up facing the monsters. Eventually."

She deliberated between leaving it at that and getting the last word in but she couldn't bear the thought of actually running away when he had just praised her courage. "You're not a monster."

He didn't look up again and for that she was grateful because she only had a limited amount of courage and she wasn't exactly sure what she was even doing right then.

"Is that why it's taking you so long?" he asked, all calm and patience.

As if they had all the time in the world.

Except they didn't really, did they?

She didn't have a good answer for him and, suddenly, playing with this fire wasn't as exciting as it had been ten seconds earlier. Without another word, she finished the slice of pizza, rinsed the plate and put it in the dishwasher. Peeta didn't say anything either but the silence wasn't too awkward or weird, it was just… _Silence_.

He remained in the kitchen when she slipped out, answered her goodnight with a goodnight of his own…

Haymitch's bedroom door was closed.

She pondered that for a second. For how alike they were… _He_ didn't seem to have the same problem convincing himself kissing people he wanted to kiss wouldn't end in disaster… She didn't understand it.

°O°O°O°O°

"I want to wash." Effie demanded as soon as they had reached his bedroom.

It had been a painfully slow process and there wasn't an inch of her body that didn't ache but she was also covered in blue goo that the wipes she kept in her car hadn't done an awesome job at cleaning and her skin felt sticky. She felt _gross_. And she hated feeling gross.

"Could run you a bath…" Haymitch suggested, running a hand in his hair.

Through the cloud of painkillers, she noted he didn't look really good. He was pale and he looked tired and that made her throat close because…

"If I get into your bathtub, I will never be able to get out." she countered, shaking her head. It was a mistake because it immediately started spinning. "Shower. Help me get undressed, please."

He complied without a word. She tried to help but her fingers weren't as deft as usual because of the painkillers that made the pain in her body bearable but also clouded her head and Haymitch kept snapping at her to stand still.

Truthfully, she wasn't sure how they even made it to his shower. Once there, she didn't even have the energy to wash. She leaned against the partition wall, letting the stream of hot water batter on her skin, barely trying to keep her injured shoulder away from the water. Haymitch had wrapped it so it wouldn't get wet but…

His hands roamed on her body, gently rubbing soap into her skin, careful not to press on the bruises… She closed her eyes and let him work.

She must have fallen asleep still standing because next thing she knew, he was wrapping a towel around her chest and steering her toward the bed.

"Do you want a shirt or something?" he asked, helping her sit down before heading for his dresser. "Would have to be button-up, yeah? Must have something around here…"

She watched his naked back while he rummaged in the messy drawers and then she burst into tears. Big ugly sobs shook her frame, rekindling the aches and pains in her whole body.

Haymitch badly startled. He turned around, eyes wide, and watched her as if she had just turned into an ugly demon right on top of his bed.

She carefully lowered herself down to her side and curled up, not even trying to fight the tears. She didn't think she could even if she tried.

"What…" Haymitch seemed at a loss for words. He was clutching an ugly orange shirt that he had no business owning because orange wouldn't work with his skin tone and the sane part of her swore to herself she would burn it as soon as he wasn't looking. "Sweetheart…" In two big strides he was kneeling next to the bed, hesitantly reaching for her hair. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong…" she croaked. "What's wrong is you made me take painkillers…"

She sobbed even harder.

Oh, how she hated those pills and how it always made her feel… Caesar had learned his lesson long ago when she had been fourteen. Strong painkillers were only reserved for the _direst_ of injuries because he claimed she was impossible when she took them. Her Watcher had healed everything else with aspirin and ibuprofen. And she may or may not have been using magic when she could.

His grey eyes were still wide but there was also a flicker of amusement dancing in there when he started petting her hair. "Ain't my fault you flew across the cemetery."

"Isn't it though?" she hissed and he flinched. That wasn't what she had meant to say and she grabbed his wrist before he could pull away. His face was already closing off. She didn't have the patience or the clear head for that right then. "You said you were going to _die_."

She thought she was holding tight to him but her grip couldn't have been that strong because he tugged himself free and coiled his hand at the base of her nape.

"I said it was a _possibility_." he corrected.

She was pretty sure it wasn't how he had made it sound.

"I hate fighting. I wanted to show you I could." she snapped. "And… And…"

"I _know_ you can fight." He snorted. "Sweetheart, we had this conversation today already. I think you're high."

"I _am_ very high!" she replied, too loud probably because he shushed her with an anxious look toward the closed bedroom door. She started sobbing in earnest again. "I don't want you to die."

"I don't plan on dying anytime soon." he grumbled, lifting his hand from her nape to bury it in her hair. "Calm down already. I shouldn't have said anything."

"You tell me to go, then you tell me to stay, then you tell me to go again and now you're saying I need to prep to take over for you once you're dead and... And…" She was aware her words were slurring together, hard to understand because of the sobs and hiccups. "I don't want to… I…"

Haymitch let out a long sigh and climbed over her on the bed to spoon her from behind, sneaking an arm under her head so she could use it as a pillow. He was very _very_ careful not to apply pressure on her bruises but his arms were also firm when they closed around her. She wanted to protest they were on the wrong sides of the bed – not that they had sides but they _did_ have sides and…

"Effie, you're high, you're in pain and you got a fright tonight." he said quietly. "Go to sleep."

"But I can't lose you, don't you see?" she insisted with a desperate sort of urgency. "Maybe you don't want to talk about it but I…"

"I don't want to talk about it." he confirmed, almost coldly. "I _really_ don't want to talk about it when I spent thirty seconds thinking you had broken your neck on that tombstone. Longest thirty seconds of my life, let me tell you."

She pressed her face against his arm. He would feel the tears, she knew, but she didn't think she could turn around and bury her head in the crook of his neck like she wanted to, not without a lot of pain.

"Don't die." she begged. "Even if we fail… Even if Snow… Don't die."

He let out another long sigh against her head. "Won't go down without a fight, can promise you _that_."

"You won't go down _at_ _all_." she growled. "Or I will tear heaven and hell apart to get you back. I know spells. I could do it."

She was so angered by the notion, so tired and distressed that she felt the rush of power rise in her chest but could do nothing to stop it. His arms tightened around her, the one under her head folding back to better encircle her.

"Sweetheart, stop." he ordered.

He sounded frightened.

She only understood why when she realized her whole body was humming with magic. Worse, it was _pulsing_ with it. She panicked when she couldn't get a proper hold on it, send it back where it came from…

"Use it to heal yourself." he suggested, obviously picking up on the problem and yet still holding tight to her.

The spell for that was too precise and she wasn't lucid enough. She shook her head, _tried_ to at least because Haymitch was locking it in place, and still the magic rose, her skin starting to glow gold with the strength of it…

"The good luck spell." he offered next, releasing his hold on her head so she could turn it. He pressed his lips on hers, just enough to make contact.

That spell was easier and it should be enough to focus some of that wild magic.

" _May the odds be ever in your favor_." she whispered against his mouth, turning the peck into a proper kiss.

The magic flew through it. Far too much for a simple good luck spell that wasn't, in nature, too powerful. She was ready to bet he would find pennies on the street for a long time, she could only hope it would also save his life.

Haymitch groaned and she immediately drew back, worried. "Did I hurt you?"

He looked dazed and leaned back down for another kiss, pressing himself harder against her back. _Harder_ was the right word. His sudden erection was poking her. He chuckled against her lips. "Can't say it _hurt,_ no." Haymitch's body reacted very weirdly to her magic, she decided as she tried to move away from him. He wouldn't have it though. "It's alright… It's alright… It's gonna go away… Just… Give me a minute."

She didn't care that he was hard.

"I am dangerous." she hissed, tugging on the arm around her stomach so he would let her go. "I lost control. I…"

"You've got a lot of new power and you're still figuring _shit_ out." he grumbled, clearly not happy with her attempts at escaping his embrace. He hooked his legs on top of hers, efficiently pinning her down. "You handled it. It's fine."

It _wasn't_ fine. It was as far from _fine_ as they could get.

If she lost control, there would be no one there to stop her. What she needed was the guidance of someone more powerful than her, someone who could stop her if she slipped and…

"Did your warlock friend ever call you back?" she asked, her heart still hammering in her chest.

They could have done with his friend's guidance. The warlock had managed to help trap Snow in the past and, by all accounts, he could have helped Effie handle her new powers.

"Don't think he's been getting my messages." Haymitch clucked his tongue once in annoyance.

"We could use him." she remarked, coiling her fingers in the crook of his elbow. "He could… Perhaps we should bind my powers. Until we can consult someone. I…"

"We don't need to bind your powers." Haymitch cut her off. "You're doing fine."

Was she though? She wasn't sure. Every time she let herself sink into that place of power, she heard the siren song of the Hellmouth enticing her to use its power… She _truly_ did not want to turn dark.

"Why are you not scared of me?" she whispered.

"Why are _you_ not scared of _me_?" he scoffed.

Because every woman he had ever cared for had died… Should she be scared of him because of that? That would imply he cared for her and he wasn't even ready to admit that out loud so…

"I have no good sense." she joked tiredly, nuzzling the inside of his arm.

"Makes two of us, then." he mocked. He was silent for a beat and then pressed a kiss against the back of her injured shoulder. His stubble itched. "Let's make a deal, sweetheart, yeah? I'm gonna try to stop thinking I'm gonna die and you're gonna try and stop thinking you're not strong enough for this whole _shit show_." She opened her mouth to protest because she had _wanted_ to come to the Seam. The opportunity for her career… "You're a good Watcher." he added before she could say anything. "You're a white witch. And you definitely can fight like any other Potential."

She pressed her lips together. She wasn't sure if it was to suppress a smile or because she was annoyed. "Are you giving me a pep talk?"

He shrugged. "Pep talks are good sometimes."

This time, she was definitely fighting a smile. "Do you need me to tell you your reputation is right and you are the best Watcher a Slayer could want? That you are being _ridiculous_ when you think Katniss and I would be better off _without_ you? That it infuriates me so when you act like you are not our best chance at stopping this?"

He had the knowledge and the experience. Of course, at the end of the day, it would be Katniss stopping the end of the world but they would need Haymitch to do that. Alive and well.

"See?" He dropped a kiss on her head. "Pep talks don't hurt." She felt him move away from her and groaned in protest, grabbing the arm that was trying to slide from under her head. "Stay."

"I'm coming back." he promised. "I need a drink."

"I need a cigarette." she shot back, digging her fingers in his arm to hold him back. "And yet I am not moving unless an apocalypse comes knocking at the door."

Because they were both aware she might just have jinxed them with that sentence, they both froze and listened hard for a second, almost expecting knocks. When only silence answered them, Effie relaxed again.

Haymitch didn't.

"Ain't quite the same thing, Princess." he taunted.

It wasn't something they had really ever addressed. He was good at hiding his alcoholism when he wanted to. He never got drunk when they might need him – and lately, they always seemed to need him so he kept the drinking to a minimum which she knew cost him. She hadn't reported that nugget to Coin although she suspected she already knew because Finnick had spilled the beans.

"I could distract you." she offered. She couldn't feel his hard on anymore but it didn't mean it couldn't come back.

"The state you're in, you really couldn't." he mocked gently.

"Do you _really_ need a glass right now?" she insisted. She said _a glass_ and not _a drink_ because _a drink_ might mean a whole bottle and she didn't want to encourage him. She continued before he could accuse her of meddling, making sure her voice reflected the vulnerability she didn't always want to acknowledge. "Because _I_ need you. I don't want to be alone. I _need_ you."

For a long moment, she wasn't sure he wouldn't leave anyway, if only for a few minutes, but then he let out a long sigh and made himself comfortable again, grumbling under his breath about her manipulating him.

"Do you need more painkillers?" he asked.

The simple thought of taking more of them made her shudder. The rush of magic had cleared them off her system, she suspected, because she felt less… _loopy_.

"Just hold me and don't let go." she pleaded.

 _Love me_ , she didn't say since he didn't want to hear it.

"Won't let go." he answered.

And it sounded like a promise.

* * *

 _Well... We had some confessions today ;) Did you enjoy it? Let me know your thoughts!_


	59. E7: The Way Of The Warrior (8)

8

* * *

Effie escaped through the door that led to her private gym, eager to put some distance between herself and Haymitch's attentive – and a little infuriating – gaze. Ever since she had been injured… She appreciated him looking out for her but it was becoming a little too much and, truth be told, Peeta's own brand of hovering wasn't helping matters either.

What infuriated her more was that they were _both_ aware she was relatively fine now. She hadn't been able to heal herself two nights ago when the demon had hurt her but, the previous night, she had felt rested enough to attempt the spell and it had worked as it should. The cut on her shoulder was now a long reddish line that would more than likely leave an unseemly scar and the ugly bruises were gone. Her body was still stiff and would remain so for a while but she was more than equal to the task of moving around, do some research or even _train._

It seemed she wasn't the only one with similar ideas because her gym wasn't empty.

She paused on the threshold before going in, watching the girl who was pummeling a punching bag with some confusion. She hadn't been aware Katniss was in her house, never mind in her gym. The girl preferred Haymitch's basement to train and Effie had to admit it was better equipped for Slayer training than her gym. She must have gone to some troubles to set up the punching bag because Effie only took it out when she felt she _really_ needed it.

"I thought you were taking a day off?" she teased the Slayer who barely took her eyes off the punching bag long enough to glance at her. "Wasn't that the point of Peeta's _quite_ convincing speech about hosting that movie night tonight?"

"I needed to think." Katniss muttered.

Effie lifted an eyebrow and tugged out her yoga mat, starting to stretch despite the protests of her battered body. "I did not take you for someone who thought better when they were hitting a bag."

The girl half-shrugged with obvious annoyance but she was in her gym and Effie concluded that meant she wanted to talk to her.

"I think better when I shoot." Katniss eventually declared, finally stepping back from the punching bag. "But the targets are in the garden and one of them is gonna find me in two seconds flat."

She didn't ask if she was talking about Peeta or Haymitch. At the moment, she could perfectly relate with the girl's need for some space far from worried males so she only nodded her understanding.

Some dark strands of hair had escaped the hasty braid and stuck to her face wet with perspiration, the Slayer distractedly pushed them away and flopped down on the floor, in front of Effie. She started unraveling the thick protective wraps around her hands.

"Do you want to discuss what is troubling you?" Effie probed after a few minutes of silence. She had intended to run on the treadmill but that seemed rude with someone else there, like a dismissal.

The girl's hands were free now and she flexed her fingers before picking up the thick bands and nervously playing with them. "I've been thinking."

"So you said." Effie remarked with a small smile.

Katniss shot her an impatient glare that lacked heat. "Funny."

"I think so." She grinned but her face softened. "What is going on, darling?"

The girl bristled a little at the endearment, like always, but she suddenly slouched, a little defeated. "Did you want it? To be Called?"

Effie had expected boy troubles – and she might even have been looking forward to that particular brand of normality – not _that_ line of discussion.

Her mouth suddenly dry, she stood up and gestured at Katniss to do the same. "Let's spar."

She wasn't sure what had gone through her head to suggest that when she had just come out of the hospital. She _despised_ physical fighting, she _did_ , even if she recognized it as a necessary evil. Haymitch had claimed he had been in the wrong earlier this week but she couldn't get it out of her head now. He _wasn't_ wrong, she knew. It was stupid to rely only on her magic. And…

"Okay." Katniss said uncertainly, leaping to her feet. She looked a little surprised, probably because Effie didn't often get inside the ring, not even when she trained her. "You're sure you're up for it?"

Her grey eyes darted to the red line poking out of her apple green sport bra.

"Try to avoid hitting my shoulder and it should be alright." she hummed in answer, kicking the yoga mat and the thick bands of gauze to the side so they had some space to move around. Katniss had already assumed a fighting position so Effie did the same.

It felt wrong.

Her stance was perfect, naturally, Caesar had made sure it would be. Decades from now, when she would be old and wrinkly, she was certain she would still know how to fall in that particular position from sheer instinct. But it felt _wrong_. It had _always_ felt wrong.

As if she was trying to wear a costume that was too big for her. Ill-suited.

They circled around each other for a few seconds. Katniss was watching her, _studying_ her because she hadn't seen her fight often enough to know her style yet. Effie did know the Slayer's style. She had helped mold it, after all.

Effie had always favored a defensive sort of fighting but Katniss was too brash and didn't have the patience for it so she wasn't surprised when the girl attacked. Quick punches to the right that Effie dodged easily, the witch answered that with a sweeping kick aimed at her legs but the girl hopped out of the way before her ankle could make contact – proof if any that Effie's insistence that she kept with the jump rope was bearing fruits. She darted a punch toward her stomach that Katniss supply bypassed, the girl used her momentum to sneak behind her back and would have probably brought her down if Effie hadn't anticipated and stepped aside, whirling around to face her once more.

They circled each other again.

"You didn't answer my question." Katniss insisted before rushing to her.

Effie dodged, resisting the urge to call to the magic bubbling beneath her skin.

"I would have loved the glory of having my name remembered for eternity." she finally admitted. "But I would have been a pitiful Slayer."

Katniss frowned and her distraction allowed Effie to land a hit to her knee. The girl went down but rolled to the side and back to her feet before the Watcher could press her advantage.

"Why?" the Slayer asked right before she did a turning kick that had Effie stumbling back even though she had clearly pulled it. Her breath caught in her throat and she grunted in pain, pressing her hands against her abdomen. " _Shit_! I forgot about your ribs! Are you okay?" Hands grabbed her arm and Effie forced herself to breathe deep. "Haymitch's gonna kill me."

There was real anguish in the girl's voice so Effie composed herself, hiding the lingering pain as best as she could. "I am fine. Do not fret. Haymitch is doing enough of that to drive me mad as it is." She shook her head. "Shall we?"

Katniss wrinkled her nose. "I'm not sure. I don't want to hurt you more than you already are."

Effie didn't particularly relish getting hurt but a foolish part of her felt she had something to prove. "Nonsense, I am perfectly fine. Get back in position."

The girl reluctantly did as she was bid and they moved around the room again, watching each other like hawks. They were well into that prelude to the dance when Effie spoke again. "I lacked discipline."

Katniss scoffed and stopped moving, her concentration broken. " _You_ lacked discipline?"

Effie took advantage of her distraction to attack, managing to hit her but narrowly avoiding the weak kick the Slayer aimed her way – clearly, Katniss was determined not to hurt her again.

"I know." she mocked. "It is _quite_ unfathomable but I was terrible in my youth and I am afraid I resented my position dearly. My Watcher…" Her voice softened with affection. "I am grateful he was assigned to me. Someone else might not have been so patient."

"You didn't like being a Potential, then?" the girl insisted with unabashed curiosity.

Effie didn't really want to talk about that. She never really did. She had alluded to her past with Haymitch but they hadn't gone into details and…

She broke her fighting stance, turning her back on Katniss under the pretense of reaching for a bottle of water she kept in a corner of the gym. She took a long mouthful, aware her playing for time was obvious.

"Being a Potential…" she explained once she could not delay anymore. "It means leaving your family at a young age. It means your whole life changes from one day to the next, you lose that secure perfect life of normality to be thrust into a world of darkness where you are expected to learn to fight in preparation for something that might never happen. Some are found as young as infants and I often thought that it is the kindest fate. They know no other life."

Although the former Potentials she had met and who had been entrusted to Watcher families from their infancy all lacked… _something._ They were empty shells, killing machines that revered the Council and would have slit their own throat rather than risk disappointing them.

"But the best Slayers were all Potentials." Katniss remarked in a strange tone.

Effie frowned and turned around. "Who told you that?"

She could hardly believe it had come from Haymitch who specialized in rogue Slayers.

"I've been reading." the girl confessed, avoiding her eyes. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, looking fragile and defensive all of a sudden. "Maybe if a Potential had been Called instead of me, they would have stopped the Careers already. If Haymitch didn't have to teach me everything…"

"Katniss." she said firmly, waiting until the teenager met her eyes to continue. "Iris Abernathy and Johanna Mason are easily considered two of the greatest Slayers of the century and they were both rogue Slayers. The Council likes to pretend Potentials are better and, yes, it is true they have the advantage of extensive training, discipline and knowledge, but what they often lack is _heart_."

"But…" Katniss argued and Effie lifted her hand to prevent her arguing.

"It _crushes_ you." she cut her off. "Waking up every morning knowing your whole day will consist of training to kill, spending half your nights roaming cemeteries knowing you are lacking the supernatural power that is your birthright and that your only purpose in that moment is to survive _another_ night so you might prove _worthy_ , that you might be _Called_ … It is natural selection at its finest. Half the Potentials die in training." She stopped abruptly, swallowed, schooled her features in an expression of levity… "And when a Slayer, when one of your _sisters_ falls and another is Called, when you know you are too old to ever become a possible choice anymore… Well then…" She chuckled but it rang false. "You disappoint your Watcher who has been spending _years_ hoping he would get to become _the_ _Slayer's_ Watcher. You disappoint _yourself_ because you were not deserving and destiny passed you by."

Katniss was standing very still and when Effie stopped talking she took a hasty step forward, reaching out as if to offer comfort.

"As I said, I was lacking discipline." She laughed it off and if it sounded a little false… Well… "I may have been disappointed when Maysilee Dormer was Called but I assure you it didn't last long. In truth, deep down, I was _relieved_."

And so had been Caesar. Because he had known Effie didn't have a chance to survive past a year.

She placed her hands on Katniss' shoulders, turning uncharacteristically serious.

"You may not have the training and you may be stubborn and too impulsive but you have what it takes to be a Slayer, Katniss." she promised. "I see it in you. You have greatness. You have _heart_."

For a moment, the girl looked a little overwhelmed, then she swallowed hard. "You call other Potentials sisters?"

"Potentials, Slayers…" Effie smiled. "It is a sisterhood. We are all linked albeit at various degrees." She brushed the end of the girl's braid over her shoulder with a tenderness she usually refrained from displaying, knowing Katniss didn't really appreciate effusions. "I can only confusedly feel it but you… The bond is even more special for a Slayer, I believe. A Slayer's path is a lonely one but she is _never_ alone." She tapped her chest, over her heart. "They are all here. All the women and girls who came before you."

Katniss hesitantly nodded her understanding. "I dream about them sometimes."

"I do too." she confessed. "But the dreams are hazy and I can never truly remember them. Like the Slayer dreams, they've lost their strength once I became too old to be Called."

A fragile smile stretched Katniss' lips even though her face was a little guarded. "So we're family too, in a way."

Effie laughed at that. "Well… I _do_ hope our connection to the Slayer line is not the only thing that makes us family but yes, _yes_ , I will play the role of the older sister if you wish."

Katniss snorted. "Seemed to me like you were playing _mother_."

Acknowledging the joke for what it was, Effie lifted her eyebrows, faking offense.

"Oh, no, no…" she refuted. "I am _far_ too young to be your mother, dear."

She was rewarded with Katniss' own peel of laughter.

It was a nice moment they were sharing and Effie appreciated that small lull in the storm of their lives for how precious it was.

And yet she wasn't bitter when Peeta showed up on the threshold, concern all over his face when he spotted Effie. "There you are! Haymitch couldn't find you… Are you okay? You aren't training, are you?"

It was only because the worry in his voice was _very_ real that Effie bit back her irritation. She exchanged a look with Katniss – who discreetly rolled her eyes – and then plastered a cheerful smile on her lips.

"Not at all!" she lied. "Actually, darling, I was thinking we should have a snack… How about you make us some of those delicious pancakes?"

Peeta beamed, never as happy as when he was allowed to show his affection by cooking her something, and led the way to the kitchen, closely followed by Katniss. The sound of their conversation drifted away as Effie lagged a little behind them, simply happy to watch them together…

 _Was_ she playing mother?

Probably.

She couldn't say she minded.

Not when she loved them both so much she thought she could burst from it…

* * *

 _What did you think? Let me know your thoughts!_


	60. E7: The Way Of The Warrior (9)

9

* * *

Katniss couldn't sit still.

She kept fidgeting throughout the first movie, not really following the plot, glancing through the big window of Haymitch's living-room… It hadn't taken as much negotiating as she had thought it would for her Watchers to agree to give her the night off from patrol and yet…

The night was calling her.

It was like a hum under her skin, an urge to go out and seek vampires to kill. She felt guilty about sitting at home while Haymitch and Effie were out there risking their lives, all the more so after the moment she had shared with the witch that afternoon.

Prim was so happy to have Madge over and to be able to play hostess in an actual _real_ house that she forced herself to stay right where she was sitting on the floor. Peeta, who was sitting next to her, kept tossing her knowing looks every time she fidgeted.

When time came for a second movie, she let them debate it between them and jumped on the excuse to go make more popcorn. She didn't bother turning the lights on in Haymitch's kitchen, familiar enough with the place now that she could move around eyes closed if she wanted to – moving around and dealing with threats blindfolded was actually part of Haymitch's Slayer training curriculum. The house was silent aside from the laughter spilling from the living-room and she leaned against the counter, watching the microwave's light tossing dancing shadows on the floor and walls.

"They're fine, you know." Peeta said confidently. She didn't startle when he walked into the kitchen because she had heard him coming. He was as stealthy as a bull in a china shop. "They're probably flirting while killing a couple of vampires right now. There might even be kissing."

She rolled her eyes and he flashed her a smile, challenging her to contradict him.

"I think you watched too many romantic comedies." she accused.

"Hey, I'm not the one who wanted to watch _Bridget Jones_." he scoffed. "And I'm not the one who's planning on watching the sequels tonight."

"Prim loves that movie." She shrugged. And so did Madge apparently. Since she didn't care one way or another, Peeta had been outvoted. "And I know they're alright. It just doesn't feel right to not be out there."

In the semi-darkness, she saw his face turning serious. He crossed the kitchen until he was on the other side of the microwave, mimicking her position by leaning against the counter. "You're allowed some time off sometimes. You're not a machine."

"It's my responsibility to…" she started to argue.

"If Haymitch didn't think you earned some time off, he wouldn't have agreed to it." he cut her off. "And if your Watcher thinks you need a break, you _need_ a break. Katniss, you killed three lizard samurai demons _two days ago_."

"And we still don't know where the witch is or what the Careers are up to!" she scowled.

The microwave beeped and went dark. The moonlight spilling from the window was barely enough for her to guess at Peeta's expression.

"All the more reasons to enjoy the good moments while we can." he reminded her in a soft voice. "The world won't stop because you missed one night of patrol. Not when Haymitch and Effie are here to pick up the slacks." His lips stretched into a small amused smile. "And probably kissing over dead demons."

"You're _obsessed_ with the kissing." she commented, shaking her head.

His eyes darted to her mouth and he gave her an apologetic shrug. "Maybe I am."

And suddenly, just like that, there was that weird tension between them again. The air was charged, there was this odd hungry sensation in her belly and…

He dropped his gaze and cleared his throat, his voice cheerful but slightly strangled. "I was on a mission for more soda. I should…"

He took one step toward the fridge.

One step.

Because Katniss reached out and grabbed his wrist.

He froze.

And she didn't know why she had done that.

They were too close now, shoulder to shoulder, and when he turned his head to look at her, a cautiously hopeful look in his eyes, she swallowed hard. Her heart was beating so fast in her chest… Her palms were starting to sweat and there was no way he couldn't tell because she was still holding his wrist… She licked her lips, not quite sure…

The movement made his blue eyes drop to her mouth again.

This time, he kept staring though.

She waited for him to take action because… Well… She wasn't sure _why_. Maybe because the whole thing scared her more than the prospect of facing ancient vampires did. But he didn't move, he remained entirely still, not trying to escape her grip but not trying to make the first move either… _Waiting…_

A part of her appreciated the fact that he was willing to let her make the decision.

Another simply would like him to put her out of her misery.

"Peeta…" she whispered.

His body jerked forward and then back as if he had momentarily lost control. The small movement was enough to shift their whole dynamic though. Katniss instinctively turned to face him and before she knew how it had happened, her back was pressed to the counter and he was very much in her space. His hands hovered in the air for a second before tentatively finding her hips over the thin blue woolen sweater that had once belonged to Effie.

But still, he didn't do anything more and Katniss was growing frustrated for reasons she couldn't have explained. "For someone who's obsessed with people kissing, you're not really taking a hint."

His breath caught but he kept staring at her lips instead of looking into her eyes.

"I need you to be sure that's what you want." he said, so low she almost didn't hear him at first. "I can do friends, Katniss. I _really_ can. But I also _really_ love you. I have for a long time and… I can't do this for fun. If we kiss… I want it to be real."

He did meet her eyes, then, and they were pleading. He was just as scared as she felt, she realized, he just was more hopeful than she was about the outcome.

"Slayers don't live long." she reminded him because she felt she had to.

Something hard flashed on his face and he frowned, his fingers clenching at her hips. "We will make you the longest living Slayer in History."

Hope and wishes weren't really her thing but, right then, in that mess of a kitchen, with the lights off, she believed him.

"Then, okay." she said.

He tilted his head to the side, slightly confused. "Okay what?"

" _Okay_." she repeated.

He frowned and she rolled her eyes, shooting him _a look_.

"Oh. _Oh!"_ Suddenly he was beaming. " _Okay_." His hands moved up to her waist and back to her hips and he winced. "But it's not really spontaneous if I kiss you now, is it? I wanted it to be perfect for you and…"

She rolled her eyes again, grabbed his shirt and tugged him forward.

It was her third kiss and it wasn't any better than the first two. Granted the first one had been stolen and Peeta had been on the verge of dying for the second one so… She didn't really know what she was doing. She pressed her mouth hard against his, lips slightly pursed, eyes shut…

She felt him chuckle into the kiss and, mortified, she almost drew back to glare and accuse him of making fun of her… But then one of his hands left her hip to cup her cheek, gently guiding her head to the side and he pecked her mouth a few times before quickly probing at it with his tongue… She felt her body melt against his, she felt herself responding to the kiss by parting her lips…

It was very obvious it wasn't Peeta's third kiss because _he_ knew what he was doing. Jealousy came and went in a burning wave. She decided it was probably best that at least one of them had experience.

The kissing grew more intense. She was out of air but she didn't care. When Peeta moved back, she leaned in to follow his mouth. And the kissing started again in an endless circle that left her feeling warm and energized in the best way.

The hand that was still on her hip moved up and abruptly back down a few times as if he was stopping himself from reaching for something. She wasn't sure what it was he wanted to touch, she didn't really care. The kissing felt too good. And the hand eventually moved to the small of her back anyway, which was good because the counter was starting to dig into her back and it hurt a little.

Her own hands were everywhere. They roamed on his chest then curiously moved to his back… He was all hard planes and muscles and…

The light flickering on was all the warning they got before her sister's voice echoed in the kitchen. "Hey, did you forget about the popcorn or…"

They bolted apart with a ridiculous and disgusting suction noise and faced the two gaping girls on the kitchen's threshold with various degrees of shame. Peeta was red in the face but he also let out an awkward round of chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck…

Katniss' face burned so hard she was certain she was crimson. She cleared her throat, reached inside the microwave for the now lukewarm popcorn and walked out of the room as if _nothing_ had happened.

Madge followed her close, biting down on her lower lip to keep herself from laughing.

"Not a word." Katniss growled.

"I was going to say it was about time but… Sure." her friend answered, managing to keep her voice even despite the obvious amusement.

It wasn't enough to cover Prim's very serious but also very fond threat that she would set Buttercup loose on Peeta if he ever hurt her sister's feelings.

They settled back in the living-room with the popcorn and the soda. When Peeta tentatively rested his arm around her shoulders halfway through the movie, she only hesitated one second before leaning against his chest.

It was dark and Madge and Prim were more busy making comments about the plot than watching them anyway.

Peeta let out a small contented sigh and pressed his lips on the crown of her head.

Katniss decided she could live with that.

* * *

 _And so everlark kiss at last! And on Katniss' terms. And very smoothly XD I hope you enjoyed this chapter! The next one will be the last of the episode ;)_


	61. E7: The Way Of The Warrior (10)

10

* * *

"All your dates _do_ involve demons hunting." Effie teased, taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

They were lazily looping around back alleys to get back to the bike, wrapping up patrol. They had visited two cemeteries already, had dispatched their share of fledglings and had even swung by the Hellmouth where everything was as deceptively calm as usual. Before all that, Haymitch had treated her to dinner at _Greasy Sae's_ – which mostly meant she had eaten a sad bland salad while he devoured a hamburger but _still_.

"Who said it was a date?" Haymitch grumbled, flexing his fingers against hers.

She wasn't sure who had reached for the other's hand and she wasn't entirely sure why he had been allowing the hand holding for so long. Maybe because even now that she had healed the cut on her shoulder and that most of the bruises had magically faded, he was still a little freaked out by her injuries.

"Peeta." she hummed. "He said we should enjoy a date while they had their movie night."

Haymitch's lips twitched into a smirk and he rolled his eyes. "Wondered how he had convinced you to approve their little party… Smart boy… "

It was true that she had been the one to grant them permission but if Haymitch had truly objected, he would have made it known.

In her opinion, Katniss deserved some rest, as their discussion that afternoon had clearly proven, and it wasn't such a hardship to take over patrol for one night.

"Are you sure we shouldn't go to _Ripper's_ again?" she asked, changing the subject.

Haymitch had gone the previous night and hadn't come back with good news. The half-demon was aware the Careers were planning something because all the demon world was apparently abuzz with the news but she didn't have any information to share. Not about the vampires and not about a possible dark witch.

"Don't think she lied to me." He sighed, becoming more serious. "And I'm tired."

She was too. Her magic was still unbalanced, her body still hurt in places she hadn't known she owned and she had set enough vampires on fire that night that she really wanted a shower to wash out the smells of burned flesh and back alleys stench.

"It is strange though…" she pointed out, finishing her hot chocolate in a long sip before tossing the cardboard cup in an overflowing trash bin. Trash _littered_ the ground in those alleys. It stank of filth, urine and decay. No wonder vampires and demons loved it. "A powerful dark witch wandering around town… I should have sensed her by now."

Not that her powers were one hundred percent foolproof, far from it. But if someone as powerful as her mother moved on her territory… She would have detected her within the first twenty-four hours. Either the witch _wasn't_ as powerful as Elindra had let her believe or she hadn't been doing magic – but a dark witch who resisted the urge to do magic for more than a day was unheard of. Dark magic was addictive. Even Effie, who tried to keep to light magic, ended up casting at least one spell a day.

"A lot of it is strange." he grumbled. "Why the _fuck_ haven't they made a move yet? Sending assassins is child play, any of them would have done a better job."

The vampire came out of nowhere. Well… Actually, he came from upward, which told Effie he must have been lurking on a roof nearby.

"Sweet." the vampire said, licking his fangs while staring straight at her. "If you beg nicely enough I might give you the gift of eternal li…"

The vampire looked down in surprise at the stake Haymitch had just driven through his heart.

"The lady's spoken for." he replied casually just as the vampire burst in a cloud of dust.

Effie stared at the pile of dirt on the ground, unimpressed. "They _always_ have to monologue."

"Don't complain." Haymitch snorted. "Makes it easier." He sighed and checked his watch. "You think it's safe to go home now? I'm dead on my feet."

"Does that mean no sex tonight?" she challenged, letting her lips stretch into a provocative grin. "And there I went and bought a sexy lingerie set just for our date…"

"Ain't a date." he insisted but the way he was looking at her told her his mind was suddenly a lot less sleep oriented.

"You just told that vampire I was spoken for…" she pointed out.

"Sorry. I'm sure it'd have been a love story for the ages." he mocked. "You and the undead."

She wrinkled her nose. "This thought is disgusting, let's _never_ revisit it again."

He let out a hum, fighting a smirk. "Oh, I don't know… I'm starting to see the appeal… I'll be the vampire, you can be the witch-Slayer…"

"Do I get to do the stabbing, then?" she innocently asked. "I will need accessories… Is there a sex shop in this town?"

This earned her an actual genuine laugh. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she leaned into his side, trying not to mind that he was still refusing to acknowledge whatever they shared was more than just… _casual_. It was so obvious to her that it was more than that… _Hell_ , she _felt_ a lot more than she should have been and…

"You think the kids _finally_ kissed or what?" he snorted as they walked out of the back alley to a wider street.

 _Civilization at last,_ she mused.

"We should not gossip." she rebuked.

"What? Like they don't gossip about us all day long?" he challenged. "I know I'm old but I ain't _deaf,_ sweetheart."

She could see the bike parked a few feet away and she let out a soft sigh of relief at the sight. "It distracts them from the looming apocalypse. Isn't that why we let them gossip? I thought that was the point."

Not that they had actually _discussed_ it but…

"Yeah." he granted. "Still. The way that boy's looking at her… She could do much worse."

"Like that Hawthorne boy." Effie made a face. "Oh, I do _not_ like that one."

"Safe bet to say he doesn't like you either." he retorted.

"Peeta is so sweet." she continued, ignoring him. "I _do_ wish she would realize he is completely in love with her. She will not find better."

"True enough." he nodded, fishing his keys from the pocket of his jacket. "Though he better stay away from the girl's room." He made a face. "Or make sure I don't know it's happening."

"Well, now…" she huffed, accepting the helmet he handed her. "You got me to gossip."

"Yeah, like that's hard." he muttered under his breath and avoided the whack to his shoulder with a smirk and a wink.

She pursed her lips, making sure the helmet's clip _clicked_ into place. "You are not as charming as you think you are."

"I'm _pretty_ charming though." he argued, getting on the bike.

She hopped on behind him, wishing he had agreed to take her car instead. She truly didn't like that bike.

"Not as much as me." she insisted for the sake of the argument.

"That's cause you put the bar high." he replied and kicked the bike to life before she could think of something to retort.

It was a merciful short trip because he drove far too fast.

The lights were still on when they parked in his driveway and it soon became obvious the children weren't done with their movies. Katniss and Peeta were on the floor, sitting very close, while Madge and Prim shared the couch. Effie refrained from commenting on the mess of half-empty boxes of pizza, the cans of soda and the huge bowl of popcorn that spread from the coffee tables to the floor.

"We'll clean up." Peeta promised, following her gaze.

Haymitch dismissed that with a wave of his hand. "Can wait tomorrow."

It was his house and so Effie pursed her lips tight and swallowed back her own opinion.

"Do you want to watch the end of the movie with us?" Prim offered as soon as they assured Katniss there was no problem on patrol. The girl was already moving a box of pizza from an empty armchair.

Haymitch made a pained face at the thought of being forced to watch what clearly was a romantic comedy and Effie took pity.

"That's _so_ nice of you, dear, but I am still tired… I think I will go to bed." she hummed. Haymitch tossed her a quick assessing look – because it had been sort of implied sex _would_ be happening, she supposed. "Haymitch wanted to borrow a book. I am sure he will be perfectly comfortable on my couch until you finish your movie. Do not rush on our account."

The children all exchanged _looks_. Even Madge.

She figured the excuse _was_ a little feeble.

"Sure." Katniss deadpanned. "Enjoy your book."

"Maybe _I_ should crash on your couch." Peeta muttered to her, triggering some giggling from Prim and Madge.

Haymitch rolled his eyes

"You know what, _fuck off,_ the lot of you." he grumbled, the tips of his ears growing red.

She gasped at the unforgivable rudeness. "Haymitch! They are _children!"_

Children who looked more amused than shocked but _still_.

"We were trying to be _considerate_." he spat, as if she hadn't spoken at all.

"No, actually." she snapped, low enough that it wouldn't carry further than him. "We were trying to set the right example."

"If Madge's sharing with the two of you, Peeta gets the guest room." he told Katniss, ignoring her. "If Madge's taking the guest room, Peeta gets the couch. I don't want you alone on the other side of the street the whole night, kid. Don't make me tell you the rules about boys and bedrooms again, either of you." He grabbed Effie's arm, not enough to hurt but firmly enough that when he tugged she followed. "We're upstairs if you need something but it better be important."

"What has gotten into you?" Effie huffed, mid-stairs, as she finally recovered from his weird outburst.

The living-room was strangely quiet but she was sure the children would discuss _that_ at lengths once they were sure they were out of earshot.

"They all know what we're doing." he muttered "What's the point of hiding it?"

She opened and closed her mouth a few times and then realized he wasn't wrong. Appearances, though. Appearances had been the point.

"We do not want to confuse them." she finally countered. "We do not want them to think we are in a relationship."

Her voice wavered, betraying more than she was comfortable with. He ushered her in his bedroom and slowly closed the door behind him, taking longer than necessary before facing her again. There was a weird intensity in his grey eyes when he met hers.

"We don't owe them an explanation." he decided.

She crossed her arms defensively. "I believe we _do_. They are _ours_ , you realize. They are entitled to answers."

He let out an irritated sigh and then rubbed the back of his neck. "Look… Don't wanna discuss… _this_." He awkwardly waved between the two of them. "Still say there's _nothing_ to discuss, alright? But… They all know we're sleeping together and I'm tired of the walks of shame in the morning… If they ask, you tell them it's none of their business, but, you want my opinion, they _ain't_ gonna ask cause they're used to seeing us sneak out of each other's house."

She crossed her arms a little tighter. "You are sending mixed signals."

On one hand he didn't want to discuss their relationship – refused to acknowledge they _had_ a relationship – and on the other the way he had been behaving lately… Even taking into account he had been thinking – was perhaps _still_ thinking – that he wasn't long for this world…

"Let's not make it more complicated than it is." he demanded, crossing the distance between them. He stepped right into her personal space and she let him. He coiled his hand at the back of her neck and she _let_ him. "I like _fucking_ you… You like _fucking_ me… Don't mind spending time with you… Let's just…" He kissed her. _Hard_. "Let's _just_ , yeah? And if we survive this, we'll see."

It didn't take a lot of convincing on his part to get her to respond to his kisses. Or to take off her clothes. She did resist when he tried to push her on the bed but only because she wanted to drag him into the shower first. They were sweaty from patrol and they reeked of death and decay.

He kissed every one of the bruises that were left and every one of those kisses was an unnecessary apology. He hadn't made her fight with the sword although she had wanted to make a point. But it was nice to know he still felt bad about their argument from a couple of days earlier.

She was so tired and the shower sex had made her feel so boneless that she fell asleep as soon as her cheek was cushioned on his shoulder. The last sound she heard was his chuckles as he tugged the blankets higher to cover her body so she wouldn't get cold.

She was a light sleeper though.

They both were.

They woke up when the children eventually came upstairs to go to bed – they were probably trying to be quiet but one thing a pack of teenage girls was _not_ is _quiet_. Haymitch grumbled and rolled on his side, half awake. She snuggled behind him, pressing her legs against the back of his thighs.

"Ain't the little spoon…" he muttered.

She snorted against his shoulder blades and let the sound of his breathing lull her back to sleep.

By her estimate, barely an hour had passed before she woke up again, startled. She wasn't sure what had alarmed her enough that she was already sitting when she properly emerged from her slumber, not until Haymitch tossed an arm around her waist and tugged her back down.

"It's nothing…" he slurred. "Just the girl sneaking downstairs… Guess the boy got the couch."

Was it simply that? She strained her ear but couldn't hear anything. The house was the same quiet it always was at night. If she listened closely enough she could barely make out the sounds of the _ancient_ boiler as it struggled to keep the heating on.

"You are awfully calm about that." she commented.

"I'm pretending very hard I'm dreaming." he retorted.

She muffled her chuckles in the crook of his neck and tossed a leg over his hip just in case he decided to go rain on the children's parade after all. She also resolved to talk to Katniss about birth control first thing in the morning. She didn't think the girl would do anything just yet – Katniss _was_ very reserved after all, it wouldn't be like her – but better safe than sorry.

In minutes, Haymitch was snoring again.

Effie couldn't go back to sleep. Adrenaline was racing through her body even though she couldn't explain it. She felt hyperaware of everything. Her fingers tingled with the faintest pulse of magic and there was something at the back of her throat… Something that tasted _odd_.

 _Magic_.

Magic that didn't belong to her.

Ancient and terrible.

And the threat was _close_.

She didn't even have time to shake Haymitch awake before it reached the house.

°O°O°O°O°

Katniss made sure to be extra quiet as she sneaked out of her bedroom and down the stairs.

She couldn't sleep.

She blamed it on the lack of patrol. Her body was full of unspent energy.

She told herself she would grab a glass of water, maybe warm up some milk, and then she would go back to bed. And yet when she reached the bottom of the stairs, she headed to the living-room instead of toward the kitchen.

Peeta was bare-chested.

He had tossed the frayed blanket they kept on an armchair over his legs but it slid away when he sat up. They stared at each other for the longest time; she stood on the threshold, he remained sitting on the couch…

She didn't know how they went from being on opposite sides of the room to them kissing against the wall like there would be no tomorrow. She felt like she was on fire. It wasn't just the kissing, it was the way his hands roamed on her body, the way her own fingers kept traveling all over his bare skin…

The sane part of her knew there would be hell to pay if Haymitch wandered down and caught them. The _sanest_ part of her reminded her this was the kind of behavior she always judged stupid when other couples did it at school.

There was a bigger part of her, however, a _mad_ part, that wanted nothing more than to keep on kissing Peeta until her mouth went numb, that wanted _more,_ that wanted…

He drew back suddenly, a slightly dazed look on his face… "Did you hear that?"

She wouldn't have been able to hear anything over the loud beating of her heart.

"Probably Buttercup." she dismissed, leaning in. He looked far too kissable with his hair all over the place – that was her fingers' doing, she figured – and his lips a little swollen from the kissing.

He leaned back with a frown. "No, I think it was…"

Three loud knocks echoed throughout the house.

Someone was at the door.

"Stay back." she ordered, switching to Slayer mode in a second. She silently made her way to the front door, vaguely heard the sound of another door opening upstairs – Haymitch's, she guessed.

Another loud round of knocks.

Too loud to be natural.

They echoed throughout the house like drums.

She couldn't have explained why she reached to unlock the door when Peeta hissed at her to wait and when she could hear the precipitated footsteps of her Watchers hurrying down the stairs. She felt _compelled_ to open it.

 _Magic_.

She hated it.

She half expected a monster to be standing behind the door but it was only a black man in his thirties who, for some reason wore skin-tight black jeans artistically slashed at the thighs, an equally tight black shirt and a red leather jacket. He had a diamond stud on his left ear and, more troubling, large tainted sunglasses on his nose even though it was the middle of the night. He looked, in short, like what she would have expected an old rocker to look like.

The stranger looked at her and she looked at him and the moment stretched into infinity. The rest of the world faded away.

Finally, he smiled.

"You must be my girl on fire…"

* * *

 ** _To Be Continued..._**

* * *

 _And this is the end of this episode... On a niiiiice cliffhanger XD What did you think? Will evelark now manage to make it a whole evening without angry kissing? Will haymitch keep his good resolution of pretending nothing is happening? Is he the little spoon? Did you like it? Any guess as to who's at the door? I want to know it aaaaall!_

 _As for what comes next: in all honest I haven't yet finished the next episode because I want it to be just PERFECT and it has been stressing me up and I've been obsessing over it XD I am hoping to have it finished very very soon though because I'm like two chapters to the end so no worries, it_ will _get done, I'm just being very fussy because it will be what one can call a season finale XD (and yes there will be another season after that) So, all that to say I am hoping the next episode will be read to start on the 8th of March but I can't make any promises right now so I will keep all of you updated on tumblr. I hope you will be there anyway! I'm excited to share the next episode! There will be quite a few guest stars ;)_


	62. E8: What You Sow (1)

_And we start the 8th and last episode of the first season... I hope you enjoy it!_

* * *

 **What you Sow**

* * *

1.

* * *

Katniss was transfixed by the stranger and, if Peeta hadn't grabbed her arm and pulled her back, she would have remained there, vulnerable. He could have pulled out a stake and stab her straight to the heart with it and she still wouldn't have moved.

"Cancel that compulsion spell, _right_ _now_." Effie's voice thundered behind her.

She turned in time to see the witch barreling down the stairs, Haymitch slower behind her but armed with a hunting knife. Prim and Madge were hugging each other at the top of the stairs.

Effie was _a sight_. She was wearing the frayed washed-out blue shirt Haymitch used for sleeping sometimes and not much else. Her hair was curling all around her head in a wild disheveled mane, her face was hard, _focused,_ and the fireball in her hand seemed to burn brighter than usual.

For the second time that week and despite what the woman herself had to say about it, Katniss thought she would have made a good Slayer.

The stranger's eyes stopped on her with some amusement before moving behind them to the Watcher only wearing hastily pulled on sweatpants.

How impressive their little team must have looked, Katniss mused, with half of them half-dressed and dazed… She was calm despite the imminent danger, despite the fact that her sister was right there in the open, despite Peeta's fingers digging hard in her upper arm to prevent her from going right back to the man…

"Haymitch." the stranger said with a nod and a small smile.

"I won't say it again." Effie growled.

"Calm down." Haymitch ordered, reaching for her shoulder.

He had relaxed, Katniss noticed. But maybe he was under a spell too. Like her. She was _certain_ she was under a spell. She might not have any particular talent to _sense_ magic, not the way Haymitch and Peeta seemed to be able to, but she knew herself well enough to know she should have been panicking right about now. And kicking asses.

"Remove that spell, now." Effie repeated, moving her free hand in the air. She murmured something in a weird language with harsh consonants and a shimmering blue wall flickered to life in front of her.

A shield of some sort.

The man was now examining her. "I suppose the protection wards on the Village are your work, then? Impressive." He took off his sunglasses and slid them in the pocket of his leather jacket, revealing dark eyes that seemed somehow… _Wrong_. Too deep. Too… She wondered if that was why he used golden eyeliner, to distract people from how wrong his eyes looked. "I apologize for barging in but time is of the essence."

"Yeah." Haymitch scoffed, squeezing Effie's shoulder and walking past her despite the witch's barked demands for him to come back behind the shield. "Time's been of the essence for _fucking_ weeks. I've left _hundred_ of messages. Where have you been?"

"Do you know him?" Peeta asked, uncertain. "Tell him to let Katniss go. He's got her under a compelling charm."

The man didn't wave his hand or utter a word or do anything that Effie did when she casted or cancelled a spell. He barely even _looked_ at her.

But when Katniss took her next breath the calm that had washed over her disappeared and her panic set right back in. "Madge, take Prim back to our room!"

"Everyone, calm down. We're safe. He's not a bad guy." Haymitch grumbled, finally reaching the stranger who had yet to cross the threshold. They stared at each other for a long hard minute and then Haymitch outstretched a hand, a rare genuine smile on his mouth. "Cinna."

"Haymitch." the man answered, taking the hand.

And then they were exchanging a manly hug.

"Oh." Effie said, closing her fist on the fireball to make it disappear. Another weird sentence and the shimmering shield vanished.

"That's new." Peeta commented with some anticipation.

"It's showy but not really reliable." the witch explained, walking down the last three steps to stand next to them. Her blue eyes assessed the two of them and she pursed her lips. "Haymitch?"

"Yeah." the Watcher sighed, tugging his friend inside the house and closing the front door. "Everyone, this is Cinna. He's the warlock who helped Maysilee lock Snow away. I've been trying to get in touch for close to a month."

There was clear reproach in Haymitch's voice but the stranger didn't show any particular emotion regarding that. His dark unsettling eyes had stopped on Madge who was still at the top of the stairs, protectively standing in front of Prim – and for that Katniss felt a surge of affection because it was clear the girl was afraid but she was still playing the human shield for her sister.

The warlock's face softened a little. "You look very much like your aunt. She was a fierce little thing. I loved her a lot. I'm sorry I couldn't save her."

He was talking to Madge, there was no mistaking that, but Katniss felt the truth of his words right inside her chest in a way that was anything but natural.

"You're not human." she accused, her hands itching to find a weapon.

Peeta was still holding her upper arm and that would be a bother in a fight. She suspected he had forgotten he was doing it so she didn't tell him off about it just yet.

"He's a warlock, that means he's half demon." the boy whispered. In the silence though, he might as well have shouted.

"Like Ripper?" she asked, directing her question toward Haymitch.

"Not quite." Her Watcher shook his head. "But I trust him. He's a friend."

"And a legend." Effie blurted out. She was staring at the man with a mix of wariness and unabashed interest.

The man broke into a smile that completely transformed his face. He didn't look so dark and threatening when he was smiling. "There's been some exaggerations over the centuries, I promise you, but thank you."

" _Centuries_?" Prim repeated, peeking behind Madge's body.

"Are you one hundred percent sure he's safe?" Katniss asked Haymitch. "Because he came here and used spells."

"And it was rude of me." the warlock apologized, slouching a little. "I'm afraid worry has robbed me of my manners." He turned to Haymitch, his features becoming hard again. "I haven't been ignoring you, my friend, I was on a hunt of my own. When I got your messages… I think our problems might be linked."

"We should…" Effie hesitated. "We would all be more comfortable in the library. I will make tea."

"That would be great." Cinna nodded gratefully. "I have a lot to tell you."

Katniss frowned suspiciously. "About the Careers?"

"About a Reaping." the man corrected. "And the witch who's supposed to perform it."

"Okay." Haymitch clapped his hands, looking at all of them. "Prim, sweetheart, go back to bed, yeah? Madge, you can come down if you want."

His grey eyes studied Katniss, taking in the shorts and the loose ill-fitted red tee-shirt, then moved to Peeta and his bare chest, lingered on the boy's ruffled hair, went back to Katniss… She had the feeling he knew _exactly_ whatthey had been doing before all this. In the end, he looked at Effie who appeared to be trying _not_ to smile. Mercifully, he didn't say anything out loud, he simply muttered something about regrouping in the library.

She pretended really hard her face wasn't burning.

°O°O°O°O°

Peeta followed Effie to the kitchen instead of going to the library with everyone else. If the heated discussion in the hallway was any indication, Prim was complaining about not being allowed to listen in. Katniss and Haymitch weren't very understanding of her rational arguments though.

"You're alright?" he asked the witch point blank because she was a bit… She looked _tense_.

"Can you feel his power?" she replied, lowering her voice. She shut the door behind Peeta so they wouldn't be overheard and then moved to the counter to prepare the tea. "Sit down. Close your eyes. Focus."

He did as he was told.

It wasn't the first time she had him performing that particular exercise. The idea was for him to find some state of perfect calm and look down inside himself to locate his own power, to _understand_ it. She had confided she hated doing trances and hardly ever managed but Peeta actually liked it. It wasn't that hard for him to find a peaceful state within himself.

Instead of looking inside though, he tried to expand his senses, to _feel_ for foreign magic…

The house was bathed in magic – the _whole_ _Village_ was bathed in magic thanks to Effie's warding spell – and he couldn't really tell the difference between magic in general and specific magical signatures.

He took his time breathing in and out, anchoring his mind to his body before reopening his eyes. He made a face. "I can't really feel anything specific."

He must have been under longer than he had thought because the water was already boiling and Effie was tossing teabags in different mugs.

"It will come." she reassured him. "You are barely getting a feel of your magic, I should not expect you to be able to sense others' so soon…"

"You can sense his powers even without going in a trance?" he asked curiously.

She pursed her lips, carefully placed the mugs on a tray to keep her hands busy… "I suppose without meaning it… You _have_ to understand witches are territorial people by nature. I suppose I accidentally claimed the Village for myself ." She sighed. "He is very old and very powerful and it feels like an itch at the back of my throat because he is a threat to my territory."

"Oh…" Peeta rubbed his eyes, shivering a little. The kitchen was cold. "But you don't think he's _really_ a threat though, right? Haymitch looked very cool with him."

"Haymitch has acquaintances and friendships the Council would not approve of." she replied, pouring the water in the mugs. "This being said, I was _not_ exaggerating when I said he was a legend. He marked History. He's been alive at least three hundred years as far as records show." She reached in the cupboard for the sugar. "He will make a good ally. This could tip the scales in our favor… Do you remember what I told you about warlocks?"

"They don't _do_ magic, they _are_ magic." he recalled. "I could feel _that_. When he casted, it was like he _breathed_ magic instead of…" His voice trailed off but she gestured at him to go on so he shrugged. "Instead of bending it to his will like you do."

"Very good." she praised. "Now, go put on a shirt before you catch a cold." He chuckled, not bothering to mask the open affection on his face when he looked at her. It made her laugh too. "Am I mothering you too much, darling? I apologize, you are old enough to know if you are cold or not, I suppose."

He stood up to grab the tray before she could try to carry it, daring to drop a kiss on her cheek while he was at it. "I like you mothering me. And I'm cold."

She shook her head at him, her lips stretching into a teasing smile. "You will like me mothering you a lot less when I sit you down to talk about proper protection."

"Protection?" He frowned, his mind flashing back to the shield she had conjured earlier.

"For sex, Peeta." she clarified. When he groaned, mortified, she only grinned harder. "If you are old enough to sneak around in the dark with Katniss, you are old enough to hear about condoms and respect."

"I don't…" He made a face.

"Of course, you can always hear it all from Haymitch instead." she hummed.

He didn't know how to answer that or how to escape that conversation quicker so he winced even harder and retreated toward the door. "You know what? I'm really cold so… I'm just going to…"

"Flee." she granted, laughing. "But you will not escape that conversation forever."

Fleeing for his life seemed like a good option though so he did just that.

* * *

 _This episode will mark the end of the season! I hope you enjoy it! Buckle up... It's going to be a wild ride :p_

 _Let me know your thoughts!_


	63. E8: What You Sow (2)

2.

* * *

Peeta had a wild spooked look on his face when he carried the tray full of mugs in the library and Haymitch wondered if Effie had put the fear of God – or more likely the fear of _him_ – into him. It would be deserved. Hadn't he said no funny business under his roof? If the kids wanted to get frisky they could at least do him the favor of _not_ getting caught.

Effie took over distributing mugs while the boy excused himself to go get a shirt. Haymitch could relate, the house was cold. He should have started a fire before going to bed, they were at that time of the year where the old boiler wasn't enough to keep the temperature in the place warm enough.

He felt the tingles of magic and then the room was suddenly warmer. Madge uncurled from her seat with an audible sigh of relief. The girl was wearing _flannel_ pajamas and yet she was still chilly, what did it say about _his_ kids that they seemed so used to the cold they didn't even shiver in shorts and short-sleeved shirts? He vowed to pay better attention to the weather from now on. He didn't want his kids to be cold.

In the chair next to her, Effie stiffened a little though.

He knew why.

It wasn't the familiar tickles of her magic he had felt, and getting used to Cinna's power again was unsettling. The man had an uncanny ability to figure out what you were thinking.

"Do I make you uncomfortable?" Cinna asked, his question clearly directed at the witch. The girls looked puzzled but Peeta, who was walking back into the room still pulling down his woolen sweater over his head, didn't. Haymitch wished he hadn't noticed Katniss' lingering look at the boy's chest.

"Not at all." Effie lied with a bright smile.

"I apologize. I am trying to be as… _inconspicuous_ as possible." the warlock insisted. "I do not mean to encroach on your territory."

"It was yours first." she politely countered. "Besides, I am not powerful enough to _have_ a territory. Not really."

Cinna watched her for a moment and then lifted an eyebrow. "I disagree."

" _Ah_!" Haymitch triumphed, pointing a finger at her. " _See_?"

Effie pouted and pushed the mug of tea closer to him, clearly dismissing him. "I hate to press but you said time was of the essence, Cinna?"

"Yes." The warlock's face darkened into something dangerous. "I got Haymitch's message about the Reaping and everything else started making sense…" He waved a hand. "I am getting ahead of myself. Do you remember me mentioning Portia?"

Haymitch winced. "Maybe?"

Fortunately Cinna looked more amused than offended. "I believe you were mentoring a Slayer named Johanna at the time… You called me about a possible Ascension…"

"Oh, yeah." He nodded, suddenly remembering. Although he thought he could be forgiven for having forgotten about the warlock's love life given that he had been trying to prevent an apocalypse. "You really liked that girl. She was a witch, yeah?"

"Can you maybe catch up on each other's love life later?" Katniss scowled. "I want to hear about the Reaping…"

"And you shall." Cinna countered, smiling at her. But the smile had an edge Haymitch had rarely seen in his friend… "It is all relevant, I promise." He looked down at his folded hands on the table's gleaming wood. "Portia… Portia is a _very_ powerful witch."

"How powerful?" Katniss asked.

Haymitch could see she was already anticipating troubles and, to be fair, he didn't think she was wrong. They had been looking for a powerful witch for a while now and there Cinna appeared, talking about his girlfriend…

"A lot more than yours, Slayer." the warlock deadpanned. "No offense."

Effie forced a smile but she was visibly tense. Haymitch could glimpse the faint golden halo under the table where she was keeping her right hand, as if she was ready to cast a defensive spell at any moment.

Haymitch didn't want to doubt Cinna. He had known him a long time and the cloaking spell on the Village wouldn't have let him _see_ the place if he had been evil.

On the other hand, Cinna was powerful enough to break any of Effie's spells…

"Portia and I have been living in Italy for years." the warlock continued.

Haymitch caught Katniss' grey eyes darting to the trunk full of weapons hidden behind a shelf. Peeta's fingers were drumming on the table. Madge was listening raptly but she also glanced at the door. As for Effie, she had gone rigid.

" _Have_ you?" she hummed innocently. "How wonderful."

"Quite." Cinna whispered softly. "A few months ago, we started hearing rumors about vampires who were in the market for a powerful witch. We did not take the threat very seriously at first. As I said, Portia is more than able to defend herself and I… Well… It is well known I would kill anyone or anything who tries to hurt her…" Cinna looked at Haymitch. "You can understand that, can't you?"

"Yeah." he said slowly. "I can."

"A vampire got in touch. A very old one. Her name is Enobaria." Cinna continued. "Scary woman."

"Yeah, I had the pleasure." Haymitch snorted. "Not my type at all. _Very_ fangy."

"Enobaria wanted to hire Portia to conduct a Reaping." the warlock explained. "She refused. She refused two times. The third time was less of a conversation and more of a fight, the vampire had reinforcement. We felt the threat was real and we decided to act."

"Why didn't you call me?" Haymitch cut in.

"Do you know what the Reaping is?" Cinna challenged.

"A ceremonial sacrifice." Effie answered calmly. "We do not have the details of the ritual yet but we should soon."

Assuming her mother came through with the information.

"I do not have them either." Cinna admitted. "But I heard rumors about it. I had no reason to think the Reaping would aim at freeing Snow. I had no reason to call you, Haymitch. I deal with that sort of threats on my territory all the time."

"If you're so powerful… Why did they want your girlfriend?" Katniss asked. "Why not take _you_?"

"That's not really my sort of magic." the warlock shrugged. "The caster has to be fully human."

"What did you do?" Effie asked.

Cinna's attention turned to her. "We decided the safest option was to hide her while I hunted the threat and took care of it. She wanted to come with me but I would not risk her. I am hard to kill. Portia is… _human_. Humans are fragile."

"Well, clearly they found her." Katniss scoffed. "So I'm guessing the plan went to hell."

"Katniss." Effie chided. "Do not be inconsiderate."

"We hid her on consecrated grounds." Cinna added.

"A convent, right?" Haymitch winced. "Chaff found what was left of it."

"Enobaria led me on a merry chase, lured me away…" The warlock shook his head. "By the time I realized… I knew that vampire had her. It took me a while to track her down and you know crossing bodies of salt waters is tricky for me…"

At the kids' perplexed looks, Haymitch sighed. "Warlock thing."

"When I finally got your messages, I put two and two together." Cinna replied. "So here I am."

"Better late than never." Katniss deadpanned.

"Have you tried a tracking spell?" Effie asked.

It seemed like a good start so Haymitch leaned back in his chair while they talked shop. At least they had a name for the witch now.

"The tracking spells backfire every time." Cinna countered. "I found a witch they paid to put an anti-tracking spell over her… She wasn't very powerful but I cannot break it until I find Portia."

"Where is she?" Peeta asked. "We could force her to break the spell or…"

"She's dead." Cinna cut him off and winced apologetically. "She was uncooperative and I got angry."

Haymitch rubbed his eyes. "Are you _certain_ Portia's not working with them?"

Cinna's dark eyes turned even darker until they were two black tunnels that he couldn't escape… Something squirmed in his chest, his survival instinct screaming at him to run, to…

" _Stop_." Effie growled. "Harm anyone here and I will _exterminate_ you."

Haymitch blinked, released from the strange spell. Katniss had stood up, Peeta had moved back pulling Madge with him, and Effie… Effie was bathed in gold.

 _Fuck,_ but she was hot when she pulled the magical goddess card.

"It's alright, sweetheart." he said quietly, reaching for her hand. Her magic was hot and he had the feeling it would have seared anyone else's flesh to the bones but it only made his skin tingle like always. It rushed over his body like the familiar kiss of a wave on the shore… It left him groaning but not in pain… " _Effie_."

"I mean no harm, witch." Cinna said slowly, lifting both hands. "My temper… My temper is not the best right now, surely you can understand? They stole what I love most."

Effie was breathing hard through her mouth, glaring at the warlock…

The thing was, Haymitch knew she had absolutely no chance against him in a fight, magical or otherwise.

"Effie, do you want me to knock him out?" Katniss asked.

"No." Haymitch replied, slowly standing up.

"Effie?" the girl pressed, clearly not trusting his opinion on the subject.

Haymitch stepped in the witch's space, standing in front of her, blocking her view of Cinna. He caressed her cheek, keeping his touch light. "Hey. I'm right here. I'm fine. The kids are fine. Nobody's threatening anyone. Let it go. Get the magic back under control."

Finally, impossibly slowly, her blue eyes met his. They stared at each other for a long time. It took that long for the glowing light to fade and vanish.

"Good job, sweetheart." He smirked. "Now, tell your Slayer to stand down."

Effie breathed out slowly only to glare at him. "She is _your_ Slayer, not mine." There was a warning in her voice and he winced, not keen on having that conversation again. He was still sure he wouldn't survive any of this but he was willing to fight for his life, for all of their lives. "And she never listens anyway…"

Haymitch snorted. "Damn right."

"I don't trust him." Katniss declared once Haymitch had backed away from Effie.

"You don't trust anyone." he remarked.

"I understand." Cinna cut in. He was the only one still sitting. "All I want is my wife back and I will find her with or without your help. It seems to me our interests are aligned however."

"We do not know where the witch is or where the Careers are." Effie said.

"We know where Enobaria hunts." Katniss argued. "If you would let me…"

"We have been over this, Katniss…" the witch interrupted. "It is too dangerous for now. With more training…"

"Actually…" Haymitch cut her off, placing a hand on her arm. "With Cinna's here… We could have a shot. If we can corner Enobaria at the _Cornucopia_ and she's alone… Between the four of us we should be able to get answers out of her before we dust her…" Peeta cleared his throat and Haymitch snorted again. "Yeah, fine, you can come too."

Effie's eyes darted to the grandfather clock on the wall. "Too late for that now. The club will be closed and I do not want to rush in there unprepared." She licked her lips, scheming… "We will use tomorrow to make sure we are ready and corner her tomorrow night. And in the meantime, you and I…" she jutted her chin at Cinna. "… can try to break that cloaking spell on your wife." She seemed to realize everyone was staring at her and she blushed. "If you agree, Haymitch, of course."

It wasn't like she was really leaving him a choice but it was also the smartest plan so he shrugged. "Seems good."

"We can also discuss your powers, if it would help." Cinna offered. "Haymitch mentioned it was a concern of yours in his messages. Although I can see you unlocked your potential since then."

"It would be… appreciated." she hesitated. "Alright. Children, to bed. And I expect everyone to stay in their _own_ bed this time." She tossed a pointed look at Katniss who blushed but also made a face. Her eyes turned to Cinna and she faltered, glancing at Haymitch. "We are short of bedrooms."

"I can go home…" Peeta suggested. "Cinna can get the couch…"

"Don't want you alone over there." Haymitch repeated for the second time that night.

"I will go home too." Effie offered reluctantly. "It is the easiest solution."

It was but it didn't mean Haymitch was any less reluctant to see her go. He had gotten strangely used to sharing a bed with her. It felt weird to be alone at night, now.

"Come over for breakfast, we can plan more." he requested.

Effie snorted. "When is the last time Peeta and I _did not_ come over for meals?"

"True." he mocked. "You only like me for my cooking."

She grinned. " _That_ and other things."

There was a collective groan behind them and he rolled his eyes at the kids. It took some shepherding to get them all back to bed but soon enough Effie and Peeta had left, the girls were upstairs and Haymitch offered Cinna a glass of whiskey that the warlock gratefully accepted.

"Your new Slayer seems like a handful." Cinna remarked.

"Yeah." he sighed with some fondness. "She's a brat."

"There is something about her, though." the warlock remarked. "She shines bright. She will be exceptional. I'm not a betting man but I would bet on her."

"She's gonna be one of the best." he agreed. "If I can keep her alive long enough…" He was distracted from that gloomy thought by Cinna's smirk. "What?"

"Your witch is interesting too…" his friend teased.

"Ain't like that." he mumbled.

Cinna chuckled. "You could have fooled me."

Now if only he could fool himself…

* * *

 _The plot thickens... The Careers have Portia, Cinna wants her back, Katniss is getting distracted by Peeta's amazing chest, Effie isn't really warming up to Cinna and Haymitch still lives in the land of denial... XD What did you think? Is the plan a solid one? Let's try and capture Enobaria? Let me know your thoughts!_


	64. E8: What You Sow (3)

3.

* * *

Effie tried not to squirm but it was difficult when a warlock was sitting on the other side of the library's round table, their hands linked on either side of the map spread between them. Their combined magic was working at breaking the cloaking spell on his wife but, so far, they hadn't had much luck.

"I apologize for making you uncomfortable." he stated.

Effie's gaze darted from the map up to his face. His eyes were still closed – and that was a relief because she would _never_ get used to the darkness that was swarming in them – and she didn't see how he could know her attention had wandered. Haymitch had told her in the few minutes of privacy they had stolen after breakfast that Cinna had an uncanny ability to read one's feelings. She wasn't certain if that meant he was a full on empath or if it was simply another form of his magic.

"I am fine." she lied.

She couldn't ignore his magic.

She had tried to shove the feeling aside, tried to tell herself the perceived threat was just in her head but… The guts response was instinctive: his magic was old and powerful and it trespassed on what she perceived as hers. And not just the place, but the people too.

She was hyper-aware that Peeta and Madge were checking books in the living-room in hopes of finding a mention of the Reaping, she could have pinpointed exactly where Prim was upstairs doing her homework, and she knew without having to check that Haymitch and Katniss were sparring down in the basement.

And she knew all that _without_ any of them having to tell her because her magic had apparently decided that it was capital information.

"I am trying to keep a lid on my powers, you know." he insisted, opening his eyes.

She swallowed and averted hers, unwilling to be caught in one of those compelling spells he seemed to exude. It wasn't unlike a vampire thrall, she mused, she wasn't even sure he knew he was doing it.

"I understand. Really." she hummed politely. "I assure you it is fine."

He studied her. She felt the weight of his gaze on her face and had to remind herself yet again that Haymitch would never have let him in, would never have left her alone with him, if he hadn't trusted him completely.

"It is your first time claiming a territory." he remarked.

"I did not…" she started protesting and then closed her mouth because what was the point of denying the obvious? She hadn't meant to but she had, hadn't she? She had claimed the Village. "I was never a powerful witch. At least, I was not _before_. I never had enough power to claim anything and I did not have the inclination for it."

Cinna didn't answer immediately, he kept on watching her.

She had the itchy sensation he was analyzing her feelings.

"It scares you." he whispered. She kept silent, staring at a random point on the map instead. "It is not a bad thing to be scared. It means you are cautious and unlikely to let the power get to your head."

"I much preferred it when I was still simply dabbling." she confessed after a moment of hesitation. "I am used to hunting dark things. I do not want to become one of them."

Their fingers were still entwined and he squeezed hers gently.

"You will not." he said and it sounded like a promise to her ears. "Your magic is untainted. Keep to the lighter path and you will be fine."

"It is not that easy, though, is it?" she challenged.

Even then, as they struggled to work their spell, she could feel the sirens of the Hellmouth calling, tempting her with more power, an easy fix to her problem…

He shrugged. "Nothing worth it ever is."

She sighed, looked at the map where a dot of light should have appeared by then, and untangled her hands from his. "Whatever cloaking spell that witch used, it was powerful."

And yet it was still peculiar that _they_ couldn't break it. Cinna alone should have been able to do it.

"They might have asked a second witch to perform another." he suggested, rubbing his face.

The gesture was so human that Effie felt herself relax. And then she remembered she was sitting in a room with one of the most powerful warlocks currently in existence and she tensed again.

"To the risk of angering you again… Are you certain your wife is not hiding herself?" she hesitated. His glare fell on her but she swallowed, refusing to be intimidated. "They might have coerced her into cooperating."

His fury was a palpable thing that she could taste on her tongue because it was magic. Acrid, old and heavy.

It abated a little at that last suggestion though.

He tilted his head to the side as if he hadn't yet considered that.

"She would not." he ventured after a while. "Should it cost her her own life. She is powerful but she is not a bad person and she is definitely not a black art practitioner." He said it sadly but with resolve. "She would not help them."

"What if they turned her?" Haymitch asked from the threshold.

Neither she nor Cinna startled.

Effie because her magic had told her Slayer and Watcher had come back upstairs and Cinna because… Well, she supposed for the same reason.

The whole thing was unnerving.

Yet she still felt better now that she had an ally in the room.

"If they turned her, I will get her soul back into her body." Cinna declared quietly. "It has been done before."

"A curse?" Effie asked, curious.

"It does not have to be." the warlock dismissed. "But we will cross that bridge if we come to it. We won't find her with tracking spells. Perhaps if…"

He cut himself mid-sentence, his head darting up and to the right, toward the street.

Effie and Haymitch shared a puzzle look but then she _felt_ it too.

Another witch. Dark magic. Very dark. Slippery and thick and poisonous.

"Effie?" Haymitch asked, calm but alert.

His hand had drifted toward his knife.

"Someone's coming." Cinna said before she could. "Danger."

"Nothing evil is supposed to be able to get into the Village…" Haymitch countered, more annoyed that the wards had failed than surprised.

"She is not dangerous." Effie retorted, pressing her palms flat against the wood of the table. She used that as leverage to haul herself up because her legs felt like jelly. "At least, I do not think she means any harm to us. The spell wouldn't have let her in otherwise."

Haymitch frowned, following her as she walked out of the library and toward the front door. "How can you tell?"

"Because I know who it is." she snapped.

She didn't mean to be curt but between Cinna's magic and the black one coming close to the doorstep… She could feel her fingers starting to glow gold and she felt behind her for Haymitch's hand. She clung to it, tried to anchor her magic back into herself.

There were no threats, not yet, and she needed to keep in control.

Haymitch seemed to understand because he entwined their fingers and held hard.

She took a deep breath, focused on his touch because it always seemed to help. Her magic was swelling inside, bubbling…

"Channel it." Cinna's gentle tone advised behind them. "It is better than trying to suppress it like you do. Channel it into a spell. Any spell."

Her first thought was the good luck spell because that was what she had done the last time – and Haymitch had enjoyed a couple of _good_ days because of that – but the looming dread of them being under threat was too pressing and, in the end, she murmured a quick protection charm.

There were several surprised gasps coming from all over the house. Haymitch didn't gasp or flinch, he barely rolled his shoulders as if to shed off the surplus of magic.

"Warm and tingly." he teased, low enough that it wouldn't carry to Cinna.

It brought a smile to her lips and she let go of his hand, a little more centered. She was reaching the front door when she heard the hurried footsteps from the various teenagers regrouping toward the hallway.

She didn't pay them any attention.

She opened the door.

And there the dark witch stood, with pursed lips, hair dyed a vivid crimson red, a cold glint in her blue eyes, looking barely older than Effie did.

"Mother." she greeted.

Behind her, everyone had gone deadly silent.

In front of her, Elindra Trinket looked irritated.

Then again, she always looked irritated when confronted with her youngest daughter.

"Will you leave me outside in the cold or will you ask your poor mother in?" the witch retorted.

Somehow, that sounded like a trick question. Still, she stepped aside and let her pass, noting the big leather bag slung over her mother's shoulder. Not quite fashionable enough, she mused.

Haymitch was standing in the witch's way and didn't show any sign of moving any time soon. All the children were gawking at Elindra with various expressions on their faces ranging from curiosity (Prim) to open dislike (Katniss).

Effie's mother seized Haymitch up with one quick look and then snorted. "So, this is the fabled watcher who has you so weak in the knees?" Her crimson painted lips twisted. "You _do_ love them boorish, do you not?"

And just like that Haymitch was dismissed, not even deemed a threat. Her mother's attention had moved on to the crowd of teenagers and Effie closed the front door behind her with a sigh when Elindra's gaze stopped dead on Katniss.

"I have seen quite a few Slayers in my time, girl." the witch declared flippantly. "Perhaps you will live a little longer than most." Her blue eyes skimmed over Prim and Madge and settled on Peeta. A spark of interest shone in there. "Now, now…"

" _Mine_." Effie growled before she could say anything else. "My apprentice. Do not even _think_ about it."

Elindra frowned and glanced at her in surprise. "An apprentice? _You_? You are _barely_ a witch." She scoffed and turned to Peeta again. "I could make you great, boy. Teach you more than you can dream of…"

"You heard her, he's already adopted." Haymitch cut in, quickly stepping in front of the children.

It wouldn't stop Elindra from reaching them if she really wanted to but Effie didn't think saying so aloud would help reduce the tension.

At long last, her mother turned to acknowledge the elephant in the room – or, she supposed, the _warlock_.

Effie had the distinct impression she had been ignoring him deliberately so far.

"Cinna." Elindra said in a polite but slightly flat tone.

"Elindra." the warlock nodded back, slightly amused.

"You know each other?" Effie asked, frowning.

"Do not pry, it is rude." her mother huffed. "We have both been around a long time and we are both powerful, it is only natural to seek out and assess the competition, is it not?" She dismissed that with a wave of her hand before anyone could answer. "Now, Euphemia, be a dear and get me a cup of tea, I am _parched_. The flight was _awful_."

Elindra eased past Cinna and toward the library without needing directions. Effie hurried after her, Haymitch and the children on her heels. She barely noticed Prim sighing that she would get the tea.

"Mother…" Effie hissed, trying to fight that awful sensation of surreal when she saw Elindra sit down at what was usually _her_ spot around the round table. Her mother gave a cursory glance at the map and the ingredients for the tracking spell but it didn't seem to grasp her interest. "What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" Elindra repeated in a huff, as if her daughter was being entirely ridiculous by asking. "Why, you _begged_ me to come."

Effie ignored Katniss' suspicious look and Haymitch's guarded one.

"I certainly did _not_." she retorted. " _Stop looking at him_. He is not yours to take."

Her mother _didn't_ startle but her gaze _did_ dart back to her and Effie had to resist the urge to push Peeta out of the room until she could get Elindra out of the house.

"He has raw talent." Elindra insisted.

"He already has a teacher." Cinna said quietly, gracefully flopping down on a chair as if entirely unconcerned.

It _had_ to be an act because Effie was barely keeping her head above water. Two powerful magical beings in her house were two too many – not that it was technically _her_ house but…

"A teacher who won't be able to unlock his full potential." her mother argued, giving her _the_ disappointed look Effie hated. "The cloaking spell you have on the Village is impressive enough, darling, but it does not make you a true witch."

"Yeah, it _fucking_ well does." Haymitch spat, taking a step forward as if to physically shield her.

Effie appreciated it but…

" _Wow_ , your mother is _bitchy_." Katniss let out a long whistling sound. "Haymitch, what's our policy about dark witches?"

"Your policy should be _not_ to anger them, particularly when they have come to help." Elindra replied, narrowing her eyes at the girl. "You are a very rude little thing, aren't you? Then again, the likes of you always are. _Slayers_." She hissed the word like a curse. "Now, Euphemia, had I known this would be the welcome I would get…" Prim wandered back in the library with a tray full of piled cups and a steaming teapot and Elindra relaxed a little. "Ah, at least one of you has some sense of hospitality. Manners _are_ everything, you know. Thank you, dear. Aren't _you_ a pretty thing…"

Effie didn't like it when her mother took that purring tone. It usually meant something cute was going to get sacrificed.

"Prim, darling, go back upstairs and finish your homework." she demanded.

"But…" the girl started arguing.

" _Prim_." Haymitch snapped, clearly on edge too. "Do as you're told. Madge, go keep an eye on her, yeah?"

She wasn't oblivious to what he was doing and her mother probably wasn't either. He had just removed from the room the two people who didn't have any fighting skills.

"Peeta…" she hesitated.

She wanted him out of her mother's reach.

"I don't have any homework." he deadpanned, a little too smartly in her opinion. "And she doesn't scare me."

Elindra poured herself a cup of tea, completely at ease despite the awkwardness in the room. Beside her and Cinna – who accepted a cup with a polite word of thanks – everyone was still standing.

"Mother…" Effie repeated, taking a deep breath. "What are you doing here?"

"You already asked and I already answered." Elindra snapped. "Now, sit down. It is rude to hover like this over your guest. And tell your oaf and his little warrior girl to do the same." Her eyes darted to Peeta with amusement. "I would offer you a seat too but it seems I am not allowed to address you as you are not _my_ apprentice. I _do_ wish you would reconsider though."

"You did not answer at all." Effie chided, sitting down as she was told and gesturing at the others to do the same. Haymitch didn't. He stood protectively behind her chair like the idiot he could be. And, of course, Katniss took her cue from him and did the same when Peeta eventually did take a seat. She decided to ignore them for now. "I did not ask you to come. I thought you were busy…"

"I was. I _am_." Elindra scoffed. "But when my daughter calls me to say she is facing a Reaping and won't do the sensible thing and jump on a plane, it tends to make my schedule lighter." She said it in a very annoyed tone that told Effie she was being a huge inconvenience. "Now, you asked for this I believe."

She opened the leather bag she hadn't yet put down and pulled out an ancient looking tome with strange peeling golden runes on the cover.

Effie reached for it, eager to read it – because that must be _it_ , the books that contained the details of the Reaping…

Elindra quickly tugged it out of her reach.

"Now, now, Euphemia. _Manners_." She clucked her tongue, her eyes darting up at Haymitch before settling back down on her daughter. "I meant what I told you on the phone. Attempting to stop a Reaping would be _very_ foolish. You do not have the strength for that sort of magical battle."

"So what?" Katniss cut in, dubiousness dripping from her every word. "You're here to help us fight?"

"Goodness no!" Elindra actually laughed. "I am here to convince my daughter to come home with me right now. You can keep the book and go meet your heroic death. _We are_ _going_ _home_."

She felt her mother's magic settle around her and she closed her hands into fists, using the sharp pain of her nails digging into her flesh to keep her mind clear.

"Ask. Do not compel." Cinna intervened, his tone serious. "Everything does not need to be magic, Elindra."

"Coming from you, that's rich." Katniss accused, crossing her arms in front of her chest. Cinna had the good taste to appear sorry.

"We can take the boy with us." Elindra insisted, a touch of yearning in her voice. "I will even ship the two of you back to England to await the next Slayer, if that is what you wish, but, Euphemia, hear me, if you go against this witch, if you try to prevent this Reaping, you will lose. You will _die_."

A long silence followed that statement.

Effie licked her lips, still feeling the sting of her mother's compelling charm but also strangely… _touched_ by the sentiment behind it.

Haymitch's hands fell on her shoulders. "Maybe…"

"No." she cut him off before he could say something stupid. "We discussed this already. At lengths."

He sighed but didn't insist. "Yeah."

She briefly touched one of his hands but then reached for the book again. "I am not leaving, Mother. Give me the book."

Elindra studied her for a long time and then, probably realizing Effie would not, in fact, be convinced or compelled, shook her head with a sigh. Instead of giving her the book though, she slid it to Cinna.

"The book is made of black magic and I know you do not have the stomach for it. Do _not_ touch it." Elindra advised, standing up. Her eyes darted toward Peeta. "Do not try either, you are too young and too new to magic yet, it would destroy you." For a moment, the blank expression she always wore on her face cracked, and she looked almost sad. "Be a clever boy, run away from this. You _do_ have potential." She turned to Cinna next. "You will look after my daughter, warlock."

It was not a question, more like a command.

"Of course." Cinna granted easily, his hand already flat on the cover of the book. "As a favor to an old rival."

Elindra nodded in acknowledgement – probably at the _favor_ word, never a free one with demons or warlocks alike – and then finally she approached Effie's chair.

Her hand hesitated in the air but then she did something she had hardly ever done before, she brushed the back of it against Effie's cheek in the softest caress. "I know you are headstrong but, hear me, Euphemia: _reconsider_. You are not a Slayer, you are not a full witch… I raised you to be smarter than this."

Before she could say anything she was gone in a puff of blue smoke.

Everyone remained still for a long moment, shocked maybe.

"If she could do _that,_ why didn't she directly teleport inside the house?" Peeta asked eventually.

"The wards on the Village prevent it." Cinna answered. "Besides, that sort of spells is always short ranged at best. She cannot have gone that far…"

"She does love her theatrics." Effie sighed.

"Wondered where you got that from." Haymitch mocked.

She rolled her eyes but couldn't actually dispute the fact…

* * *

 _Soooo... A surprise visit from Elindra, a mysterious dark book, Effie and Cinna's failing to locate Portia... What can go wrong?_


	65. E8: What You Sow (4)

4.

* * *

Katniss couldn't stop fidgeting.

The tension in the library after Effie's mother had disappeared in a puff of smoke had only increased with each passing minute. It had been three hours and she was ready to go kill something, _anything._ She was almost impatient for the stakeout at the Cornucopia scheduled for that night. She wasn't entirely confident she could take Enobaria but even a desperate fight would be better than _this._

Effie was frustrated and angry at not being allowed to touch the mysterious spellbook, she also clearly disliked having the warlock around. The witch was pacing the length of the room and when she was _not_ pacing, she was berating one of them for slouching or something. Haymitch was clearly craving a drink and Effie's antics weren't helping his mood. The two Watchers were staring at Cinna so hard, Katniss didn't know how he was making any progress at all. The book was written in strange runes that had made him groan and had made Haymitch rush to the shelves to find references.

All in all, Katniss deeply regretted not going with Peeta when he had announced he was going to drive Madge back to her house…

Although she wasn't sure being alone with Peeta right then was a good idea. Could she have stopped herself from reaching out? She hadn't known his hair was so soft before the previous night and right then… Well… It seemed like such a ridiculous thing to focus on right then but she _really_ wanted to run her fingers through his hair again because it was so soft and… There was the kissing too. The kissing had been… If she had known kissing could be so…

Something bounced off her forehead and onto the table.

She stared at the ball of paper, confused.

"Impressive Slayer reflexes." Haymitch deadpanned. "The Careers are gonna shake in their boots."

She scowled in answer. " _Fuck_ off."

"Language." Effie cut in, clucking her tongue in disapproval.

Katniss rolled her eyes.

"He started it." she grumbled, aware she sounded like a two year-old child but unable to stop herself.

Effie gave her _a look._ Even Cinna glanced at her with amusement.

Haymitch snorted. "Seems to me like _the boy_ started it. Made you all dreamy like."

" _Fuck off!"_ she repeated, blushing hard.

She was certain of one thing: she didn't want to discuss _Peeta_ with Haymitch.

" _Language._ " Effie snapped again, pursing her lips at Haymitch. " _Do_ stop teasing the poor girl."

That somehow didn't make it better. She didn't want to talk about it with Effie either.

She dragged her chair back, not caring at all about the noise that made Effie wince, and bolted to her feet. "I'm going back to the basement to train."

Haymitch snorted but, before he could say anything, Prim stormed in the library with a rare scowl of her own on her face. It was so unusual to see her sister annoyed that they all stopped to stare. If Prim noticed, she didn't let on. She placed a paper and a pen on the table in front of Haymitch. "You forgot to sign my permission slip for tomorrow."

Haymitch looked just as puzzled as Katniss felt. "What's happening tomorrow?"

Katniss felt bad because she was pretty sure her sister had told them about needing a permission slip for _something_ … Usually it was _her_ job to fake their mother's signature on school papers but since they had moved in with Haymitch…

"Science field trip, of course!" Effie exclaimed with something manic. Probably because she wasn't _entirely_ sure and, like her, she remembered Prim talking about it at length and felt bad about forgetting.

"Yeah." Prim answered flatly, irritation barely contained in her voice.

Haymitch was so taken aback by the sudden hostility, he signed without even reading. "You're okay, sweetheart?"

"Fine." she mumbled, snatching back her paper slip and leaving the room without another word.

Aside from Cinna who didn't know better and kept working, the rest of them looked at each other, puzzled.

"Is it teenage rebellion already?" Haymitch asked, sounding chagrined.

Effie tilted her head to the side, making a face. "We have been rather curt with her lately… We sent her to her room again and again…"

"To protect her!" Katniss protested.

"Yeah…" Haymitch sighed with sudden understanding. "But… when the fear demon was around… She's got abandonment issues, sweetheart, and Effie's got a point… We haven't really been…"

"Perhaps you should go talk to her…" Effie suggested. "Spend some quality time together. We do not need you here for now."

She knew the witch hadn't meant it in a bad way but the dismissal rankled anyway. If that was how Prim had felt every time Katniss had ordered her to leave – to _protect her_ , yes, but…

"Call me if you find anything." she demanded and then left them to it, climbing up the stairs with some trepidation.

She didn't like the thought of being at odds with her sister. She couldn't remember the last time that had happened. Prim wasn't a confrontational person and Katniss… Katniss loved her so much she would have given her the world without any question asked. There had never really been _reasons_ for them to be at odds.

Their bedroom door was closed and she had to refrain the stupid urge to _knock_. It was her room too after all, she wasn't _knocking_ on her own door.

Prim was sitting at the small desk in the corner, bowed over what clearly looked like science homework.

"Hey." Katniss said with uncertainty.

"Hey." her sister replied without looking up.

Katniss pursed her lips, closed the door behind her and went to sit on the bed. "Everything's okay, little duck?"

Was it how fragile she sounded or the familiar nickname that did the trick? She wasn't sure but she was grateful that Prim didn't play the passive aggressive game. Her sister put her pen down with a sigh and turned the chair around to look at her. "I know I don't have superpowers but you don't have to keep shutting me out."

"Look, Prim…" Katniss winced. "I'm sorry, it's just… I thought it was too dangerous and I didn't want you to…"

"To get hurt." Prim finished for her, softening a little. "Yes, I know. But… I _can_ be useful. And Haymitch and Effie would never let me get hurt anyway. I wasn't really in any danger."

Effie was the one who had sent her upstairs earlier, Katniss wanted to point out, not _her_.

"Prim…" she hesitated.

"I get it." Prim cut her off, turning back toward her homework. "It's fine. I'm just in a bad mood. You can go back downstairs and do your Slayer stuff now. It's fine. I'm fine."

It was clearly _not_ fine but she didn't quite know what to say to make it better.

"I love you." she offered because it was the ultimate truth.

"I love you too." her sister muttered, softening even more. "But I have to focus now."

Dismissed, Katniss left the room, certain that she hadn't done the right thing.

* * *

 _Short one today but next time we will go hunt Enobaria... What could go wrong? WHat did you think? What's up with Prim? Is it teenage rebellion? Is it that she knows the end of the season is near and she fears for her fate? Does she have abandonment issues? Will Haymitch ever leave Katniss alone with the Peeta thing? All the questions. Tell me the answers ;)_


	66. E8: What You Sow (5)

5.

* * *

"I don't like the plan." Katniss repeated for what must have been the fiftieth time since they had left the house. And the trip from the Village to the Cornucopia was a short one. Barely ten minutes, Peeta mused, parking his truck in an empty spot.

Peeta shot Haymitch a sympathetic look in the rearview mirror. The Watcher was the one who would have to deal with their Slayer sulking all night.

"We all agreed it was the best play…" Peeta hesitated, reaching across the seat for her hand. "I'll be fine. I'm armed…"

"She's a master vampire." she argued in a growl.

"Technically…" Haymitch cut in but wisely fell silent when Katniss shot him a glare. It didn't last long. After a second, he rolled his eyes. "Someone _has_ to play bait, sweetheart. It can't be me 'cause she knows me and it can't be you 'cause she'd _sense_ you, so…"

"Effie could have…" Katniss argued and Haymitch dismissed that with a wave of his hand.

"Effie was in the hospital less than a week ago." he reminded her. "And it's too risky. She's powerful. If Enobaria picks up on that…" He shook his head. "Look, I don't like it much either but the boy's armed and we're gonna be all around that club. He's gonna be safe."

Katniss scowled and turned her glare to _him_. "Are you _sure_ you've got everything?"

Peeta obligingly pulled on the collar of his shirt to show her the crucifix hanging around his neck. "I've got a stake and holy water. I'll just lead her outside, you'll be right behind me and Cinna and Effie will ambush her from the alley. It's gonna be _fine_."

The plan wasn't one hundred percent safe: Peeta would go in, make a show on the dance floor, lure Enobaria out once he had spotted her… Haymitch and Katniss would keep watch from the upper floor of the club, ready to follow once he would lead the vampire through the back entrance of the club to the alley where the magical duo of their team was waiting, ready to trap and interrogate her.

"She's got a thrall." Haymitch reminded him. "Don't look at her in the eyes if you can help it."

"When is Effie activating her spell?" Katniss grumbled.

' _Peeta, can you hear me?'_ the witch's voice echoed in his head as if on cue. His eyes widened in surprise and he startled a little.

"Wow. That's weird." he winced. "Yeah, I can hear you."

' _You can answer directly in your head, dear.'_ Effie replied and he winced a little further.

When they had discussed her using that telepathy spell, he had been excited but now… He was a little worried about his privacy.

"Not so fun having her in your head, is it?" Haymitch mocked, patting his shoulder. "Now, remember, she'll keep the spell active but it costs her energy so only use it for emergency."

"I just think about her and… _think_ , right?" he asked, suddenly panicking a little because what if Effie could access his every thoughts? What if he started thinking about Katniss and…

' _Take a deep breath, Peeta, I_ cannot _see your fantas_ _ies_ _about our Slayer unless you project them to_ _me_ _and I would rather_ not _know more than I should so, please, keep collected.'_

He had the distinct impression Effie was laughing at him.

"You've got the smallest doubt, you retreat, boy, you've got it?" Haymitch asked, more seriously. "Instinct's a powerful thing. You always listen to your guts. If anything feels off, you come back to Katniss and me _immediately_."

"Okay." He nodded, taking a deep breath and opening the door. He wasn't sure how Katniss managed to get out of the car and around to his side so quickly but he hadn't taken more than a step before she was _right there_ , very much in his space. " _W_ _ow_. Hello…"

She didn't answer his grin or his playful tone. She looked worried. Too worried.

"Please, be careful." she requested.

He glanced at Haymitch – who was making a show of searching for something in his pockets so he wasn't looking at them – and stole a quick peck. Just because he wanted to. And _he was allowed now_. He still couldn't believe that he had finally… There was _no way_ he was getting killed. Not now that Katniss seemed sure she wanted this, _them_. "It's going to be fine."

' _We're in position'_ Effie told him.

He winced again. He loved the witch to death, she was his mentor and, for the better part of the last couple of months, she had been the mother he had never known he wanted, but he didn't like having her voice in his head when he was kissing his girlfriend. _Was_ Katniss his girlfriend? They hadn't found time to talk about what had happened the previous night or what it meant or…

' _Darling, from what I have seen, she is_ definitely _your girlfriend.'_ Effie's teasing voice bloomed in his mind again. ' _Now if you could stop directing that kind of thoughts at me…'_

He groaned _. 'Well, this spell is harder to control than it looked on paper.'_

"What's wrong?" Katniss asked, frowning.

' _To be sure.'_ Effie mocked. _'Calm your mind the way I taught you too. Locate the magic. Isolate it. Only tug on it when you need it.'_

"Nothing." he muttered, pointing at his head. "Just…" He didn't really want to admit that Effie had a front row to his inner panicky thoughts about her so he cleared his throat. "They're in position. Maybe we should go?"

"Yeah." Haymitch snorted. "If you're done smooching my Slayer, lover boy."

Katniss made a face at her Watcher and then rolled her eyes for Peeta's sake.

It brought a smile on his lips.

"Alright. Here goes nothing." he declared, taking a deep breath. "Please, don't let me get bitten."

He regretted the joke the moment he made it because Katniss grew all serious again and even Haymitch looked a little too serious.

"I've got your back, kid." the Watcher promised. "Nothing's happening to you on my watch."

Peeta nodded at that and then, with a last longing look for Katniss, headed toward the _Cornucopia's_ entrance, leaving them to follow him a little later.

He had never felt as alone as in that moment.

' _You are not alone_.' Effie helpfully reminded him. _'And you are still not controlling your end of the spell_.'

Maybe they should have _tried_ it before they left the house so he had had a chance to learn how to deal with it. He passed by the bouncer without any problem, waved and grinned at a few classmates on his way to the bar…

The place was packed for a Sunday night but, then again, it was the only club in the Seam; it was _always_ packed, school night or not. He glanced around as inconspicuously as he could but didn't see any beautiful dark-haired woman dressed in ancient fabric.

He ordered a coke, took a deep breath and decided to tackle problems one after the other. First thing first, getting the spell under control. The more he projected through it, the more it would cost Effie energy and they needed her at full power.

' _A wise resolution.'_ his teacher approved.

His lips twitched despite his best intentions because he could tell she was more amused than frustrated. He closed his eyes, hoping he wouldn't miss his window with Enobaria because of it, and tried to ignore the loud beat of the music. Getting into a trance in a crowded place was harder than it seemed and he didn't succeed at really getting a feel of his magic. He did, however, manage to somehow _feel_ Effie's magic where the spell was woven around his mind.

He isolated himself from the spell, tried to at least, and thought a string of curses that went from mild to completely inappropriate. When Effie didn't berate him, he opened his eyes again and grinned.

' _Got it.'_ he told her, purposefully tugging on the spell this time.

' _Good job, dear.'_ she praised. _'I am right here if you need me.'_ There was a moment of silence long enough that he believed she had put the spell on standby on her end but then her voice echoed in his mind again. _'Oh, and I love you too. Be careful.'_

It was more feelings than words and it made him feel warm and safe inside.

That spell was genius, in his opinion. Even Cinna had looked impressed when she had explained.

But, then again, Effie Trinket _was_ a genius. And her mother had the nerves to show up and disparage her and try to tell _him_ he would be better off with…

Pushing those thoughts aside, he focused on his surroundings.

He had a mission.

And his mission was to make himself desirable to a century old vampire with an appetite for pretty things…

°O°O°O°O°

Stakeouts had never been Effie's favorite pastime.

Her pink car wasn't exactly inconspicuous either, parked as it was, blocking the back alley behind the _Cornucopia_.

"Peeta got the spell under control." she announced, tapping her fingers against the wheel.

And a good thing too because she could feel the strength of it gnawing at her. She might have more power than ever before but that sort of spells remained taxing and she was still having difficulties controlling herself.

"Why are you nervous?" Cinna asked from the passenger seat next to her. His eyes were riveted to the emergency exit at the back of the club. She had no doubt that, the moment it would open, he would be right there in a flash. She didn't know if he could teleport, although that wouldn't have surprised her, but she was pretty certain the distance would be crossed in a matter of seconds.

"Perhaps because I am afraid this will end in a bloodbath." she replied, a little terse. _Or perhaps because she was trapped in a small car with a very angry warlock who really,_ really _wanted to kill that particular vampire…_

He tossed her a look that was slightly amused. "I will not harm you or yours, witch, even if I get angry."

"You are already angry." she pointed out with a sigh. She could feel it. His magic was _bubbling_ with his fury and it didn't make for a particularly pleasant sensation. Although it had been less oppressive since they had left the house and her perceived territory.

"Beings as old as I am… We are always angry, Effie, that's the catch." he shrugged, reporting his attention back on the door.

She kept on drumming on the wheel and the silence grew. She resisted the urge to reach out to Haymitch with the telepathic spell. Peeta would make contact if he spotted Enobaria and he would warn her before approaching the vampire. She didn't need Haymitch's reassurances that the boy was fine. He wouldn't let anything happen to him. And Katniss wouldn't either.

"I didn't realize you were Elindra's daughter." he said after a long while, an hour at least. His tone was casual, almost distracted, but she was good at reading people and she saw it for the front it was.

"How long have you known her?" she asked, just as casually.

Her eyes were on the door but her attention was all on him.

He didn't answer at once and, when he did, it was almost hesitant. "A long time."

"That is not quite an answer." she remarked.

He inclined his head to grant her the point. There was a displeased pout on his lips. "We are not quite friends, your mother and I. She is…"

He let his sentence trail off.

"She is a black witch." she sighed. "I am _well_ aware."

The way he looked at her made her ill-at-ease. There was pity in that look and _regret_. "She is more than that."

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

He was clearly deliberating but, in the end, he looked away from her and back to the club's emergency exit. "I have never met a daughter of hers as powerful as you are. But, then again, none of them have ever been connected to the Slayer line… I wonder…"

Her frown deepened even as the weight of his words fell on her shoulders. "What do you mean _a daughter of hers_? Do you know Lyssa? My sister?"

It wasn't what he meant, that was obvious at the way his face closed. It was also obvious he wouldn't say more on the subject.

"How long is _a long time_ , Cinna?" she insisted because… He had lived for centuries. A year was nothing to him. _A long time_ …

"The Slayer line… It is ancient and powerful." he declared, completely ignoring her question.

"I know." she dismissed. "But I am not a Slayer. I…"

"But you are linked to it all the same." he interrupted. "I can see it. You're bound to it, to Katniss, to all those who came before and to all those who will come after… You haven't been Called but you could have and that's a powerful thing in itself. " He shook his head. "There _is_ power there, Effie. Powerful magic. Strength and protection, if you ever need it."

He was warning her, she realized, warning her against…

' _Effie?'_ Peeta's voice echoed in her head. _'We've got a problem…'_

* * *

 _What can the problem be? Is Katniss Peeta's girlfriend? Did you spot the foreshadowing? There is soooo much foreshadowing in there. It's like I knew only one writing twist and used it all in there. Are you scared? You should be. Happy Easter! I hope you have chocolate. Sadly I couldn't get any. Let me know your thoughts!_


	67. E8: What You Sow (6)

6

* * *

Katniss was on edge and it didn't do much for Haymitch's nerves.

They walked in the club a minute after Peeta and he was forced to tug on the back of her jacket so she wouldn't follow the boy _too close_. If he had let her to her own devices, he was pretty sure her version of a stakeout would have been to sit _right_ next to him. She scowled at him when he pointed at the stairs that led to the upper level of the club.

"I don't like this." she said again.

He couldn't really hear her over the loud music but he could read her lips well enough even in the somehow dark club thanks to the stroboscopic lights. He scowled right back and gave her a small shove toward the stairs since she didn't seem in a hurry to move.

It was easier to hear and talk upstairs and Haymitch led the way to a table that was near the railing so they would have a good view of the dance floor and the bar.

He ignored the stares they were attracting since Katniss seemed oblivious to them. Either people thought the girl was his daughter and they looked flabbergasted she would accept to be seen at a club with him or they thought he was some kind of pervert who liked dating teenage girls – and thanks to Hawthorne's meddling, _those rumors_ were still rampant around the school despite the fact that most of the student body seemed to have correctly deduced he was actually _fucking_ the Art teacher instead…

"He's by the bar." Katniss uselessly told him, barely stopping herself from pointing at the boy.

"I know." he grumbled, flopping down on one of the chairs and angling it in a way that wouldn't make it obvious he was watching the lower level of the club. Katniss didn't really bother with discretion. Her eyes were riveted on Peeta and only irregularly made a quick sweep of the rest of the place. "Relax, sweetheart… I promise you will get him back in one piece."

Another scowl but, this time, she squirmed a little and that made him smirk.

Teasing her was always too easy and it was always a lot of fun.

"I can't see any of the Careers." she deflected.

"That would be 'cause they're not here." he replied with a shrug, drumming his fingers on the table, wishing he could order a glass of something strong. "It might take a while. It's gonna give us a chance to talk…"

"About what?" she scoffed, burying her hand in her pocket.

He was one hundred percent certain she was clutching a weapon and he wondered if he would have to stop her from jumping over the railing directly to the lower floor to stake Enobaria if the vampire ever showed up and approached Peeta. You couldn't always trust Katniss to follow the plan.

"I don't know… House rules?" he deadpanned. "Or, specifically, how you broke them last night?"

To her credit, she didn't pretend she didn't know what he was talking about. She glanced at him and then stared back at Peeta with an irritated pout. "I didn't go into his room and he didn't come into mine."

He snorted. "Oh, come on, girl… He was sleeping in the living-room…"

"So what?" she challenged, sparing him a glare. "I'm not allowed to be in the living-room with him now?"

"Not in the middle of the night when he's half naked and you're…" he rambled, managing to stop himself before his brain jumped on conclusions it didn't want to reach. He took a deep breath, reminded himself that he had been determined to ignore the whole thing when she had woken him up by sneaking around in the middle of the night. "Look… I ain't any happier than you are to have this conversation but if you're gonna… _You know_ … We need to get on top of it."

The look she directed at him was clueless and he suddenly regretted even broaching the subject. It had been spur of the moment, he had _absolutely_ meant to let Effie handle _this_.

"On top of what?" she asked, suddenly defensive.

He swallowed hard and pretended he was searching the shadowy spots around the club with his gaze. "Contraceptive methods."

She let out a squeaky noise that might have been funny in other circumstances. "I'm not… We're not… I'm _not_ talking about that with _you_."

"You don't wanna talk about that with me, that's fine." he agreed with blatant relief. "But you're talking about it with Effie as soon as we get a moment."

"But we haven't done _anything_." she snapped.

Her face was crimson.

He didn't relish in embarrassing her but he shot her a look anyway.

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, we _kissed_. That's it, we kissed."

"And it was all innocent pecks and hands in the air, was it?" he mocked in a knowing tone.

She made a face and purposefully turned more toward the railing. "None of your business."

"Trust me, as your Watcher _and_ as your guardian, it's my business." he retorted.

"I'm not _stupid_." she hissed. "I wouldn't…"

"My mother wasn't stupid either. That didn't stop her from getting knocked up before she was sixteen." he cut her off. "Look… He's a good boy, I know whatever is happening between you is new but… I've been young once, believe it or not, and I've been in enough life and death situations with my own girl to know things get heated very fast sometimes…" He shut the door on those memories before they could become overwhelming, licked his lips and cleared his throat, hoping he didn't look as awkward as he felt. "I ain't telling you _not_ to have fun, sweetheart. I'm just saying, you've got to be clever about it."

It was a long time before she managed to look at him again and, when she did, she glared. "You're not telling me not to have fun but you don't want me and Peeta alone in a room."

He rubbed his face and chose to focus on watching the dancefloor, looking for an ancient vampire. _Fuck_ , but he would rather be getting his ass kicked than having this conversation…

Unfortunately, Enobaria didn't arrive to save him from it.

"Cause I don't wanna know what you're up to." he grumbled. "You've got to do this, do it at Effie's. I ain't sure she minds as much as I do." Katniss snorted, not particularly convinced by that statement, and he had to wince. "Don't tell her I said that."

"You get it's unfair, yeah?" she retorted. "You say I'm not allowed to be with Peeta alone upstairs but Effie's staying the night or you're going to her place…"

"We're adults." he countered. "And it's our business."

"Are you dating?" she insisted.

" _None of your business_." he snapped.

"Neither is what I do with Peeta." she hissed, pointing her finger at him in triumph as if she had just made the winning point.

"It's my business cause you're my kid and maybe I don't wanna think about what my kid is up to behind closed doors!" he retorted, raising his voice a little. It attracted looks from other tables and he took a deep breath before looking back at the dancefloor. "We should focus on the mission."

But Katniss was distracted now.

There was an intensity in her grey eyes that hadn't been there before. She looked a little torn.

"You're not my father, Haymitch." she said quietly. It wasn't mean or cruel but it hurt anyway.

"I'm your Watcher. Same thing." he muttered. But it wasn't supposed to be and they both knew it.

She was staring at him but he refused to look at her. He was watching Peeta who was trying to blend in by dancing with some other kids from school…

"I'll talk to Effie about getting on the pill." she eventually relented, still sounding awkward. "But it's Prim who really needs a dad, not me."

"Ain't father material." he grumbled.

She replied so softly, he almost didn't hear it over the music. "Yeah, you are."

He chose to ignore that.

It annoyed him how worked up he could get over the thought of the kids getting it on. He never used to involve himself so much in his other Slayers' love life. What he didn't know, he didn't bother to find out.

He had cared for _every_ of his Slayer deeply but Katniss was the first he looked at like a kid of his own. Was it because of his age? Because she could easily have been his if he had bothered to ever have children? Was it because she reminded him so much of himself? Was it because she was living with him, under his care?

He knew whatever it was, it was a soppy path.

It would hurt that much more when…

He shut down that avenue of thoughts and forced himself to focus on the job at hand.

Still no Enobaria.

They had been there more than an hour now and Peeta was showing signs of impatience. The boy glanced up at them a few times but kept going…

The club was slowly emptying…

Haymitch studied every face he could, every sweaty body that escaped the dancefloor…

"Anything feels weird to you?" he asked after a while.

Katniss glanced at him and narrowed her eyes. "I can't feel _any_ vampire."

"Yeah." he agreed.

He couldn't spot a single one either and that… Well, that was _weird_. The Cornucopia had always been a good place for vampires to hunt, that there wasn't even one – and he was pretty sure there hadn't been any all night – was troubling.

°O°O°O°O°

' _Effie? We've got a problem.'_ Peeta's voice echoed in her mind.

Effie immediately sat straighter. _'Is it Enobaria? Is she here?'_

"Is it time?" Cinna asked, sounding almost eager. She didn't think Enobaria would escape the encounter with the warlock.

' _No. That's the problem.'_ Peeta answered.

She was about to ask for more clarifications because it was late but not late enough that the club would close yet when her phone pinged with a new message from Haymitch.

' _It's a bust. Meet us out front.'_ the text said.

She showed the screen to Cinna who, if possible, seemed to grow even angrier. His frustration made his magic flare and that, in turn, made the car seem even smaller. It was over in a second. He regained control.

"I apologize." he offered.

' _Never mind_.' Peeta said in her head. _'Katniss is with me. She says the mission's off.'_

She waited until she had driven the car to the parking lot in front of the club and she had her sight on the three familiar figures emerging from the club to cancel the telepathic spell.

"What happened?" Cinna asked, getting out of the car before she had even turned the engine off.

Haymitch shook his head. "No vampires. Either they knew we'd be coming or there's something else going on…"

Katniss was sticking very close to Peeta's side but she still looked nervous. "I want to go home now. Prim's alone."

"They cannot get inside the Village." Effie reminded her in a calming tone.

"Doesn't matter." Haymitch replied. "I want to check on the girl too. I've got a bad feeling about this…"

Effie could feel Cinna's impatience and frustration from where she stood. His magic was… His control was impressive but he was so powerful that it was no wonder every time his control slipped it felt like a thunderstorm, even if it only lasted a second.

"I want to try and find Portia." the warlock growled.

" _How_?" Haymitch challenged. "This was our best lead." He didn't look happy either. "Look, I'm sorry but it seems to me like the easiest way to get your girlfriend back is to figure out this Reaping thing."

Cinna wasn't pleased but he gave him a reluctant nod. "I'll ride with the children. Effie needs a break from me."

She hurried in offering a polite denial but didn't outright protest the arrangement.

She didn't protest when Haymitch slid in the passenger seat either.

It wasn't long before she lost the rearlights of Peeta's truck ahead of her on the road. The boy was driving too fast and she clucked her tongue but sped up a little too. The general feeling of foreboding was getting to her. There was something in the air…

"You need to get Katniss to a doctor so she can be on birth control." Haymitch said after five minutes of silence. It was almost an afterthought. She could tell he was distracted.

"Alright." she agreed, although she wasn't sure _when_ she was supposed to do that: between two monsters? Before or after they tackled the Careers?

He remained silent until they were in sight of the metallic gates that closed in the suburb area.

"I'm pretty sure they're in the Capitol." he told her. "That's Snow's old haunt, it's close to the Hellmouth… It makes sense."

She glanced at him as she turned in their street. Peeta's truck was in her driveway, the lights were on at Haymitch's and there were no signs of struggle so she supposed nobody had attacked the house after all. The children and Cinna weren't in sight so she parked behind the boy but didn't make a move to get out of the car. Haymitch didn't either.

"It does." She had had the same thought. "Why haven't you told Cinna?"

He sighed. "Cause he's gonna go in all hell blazing and if I'm right… It's not only the Careers in there. It's the Careers and an army of vampires."

"He is wiser than you make him out to be." she pointed out. "He might not…"

"He loves her." he cut her off, slowly turning his head to look at her. "He'd go to hell for her… _Fuck_ , I can't say I don't get it… Lose enough people and you're desperate to keep alive the ones you've got left…"

She met his eyes and the intensity in them took her breath away for a second.

 _Would you go to hell for me?_

She swallowed the question back before she could embarrass herself. She was pretty sure the answer was _probably not_ anyway. "If the witch is really being kept there against her will…"

"I know." he sighed. "I was thinking maybe you should set the building on fire in the morning but that still leaves us with the rescuing part… It means going _in_ … Four of us against an army… I don't like our chances."

 _Four_ meant he wasn't including Peeta.

She couldn't fault him for that.

"At least it would be on our terms." she pointed out.

"We could lure them out somehow…" he suggested and then shook his head. "I need a better plan. Don't tell Cinna. Let me sleep on it. I'll figure out something by tomorrow."

"Of course." she hummed. She trusted him blindly. A little too blindly perhaps. "I think I will head to bed. I won't be of any use since I cannot touch that book and Cinna's presence…" She sighed. "I did not realize I had claimed this place as my territory."

"What?" he teased, placing his hand on her thigh. "You didn't realize you claimed my _fucking_ house as yours? The rate you're raiding my kitchen…" He winked at her. "And my bedroom…"

Her lips twitched and she leaned her skull against the headrest, not minding the slow strokes his thumb was leaving on her thigh in the slightest.

"Perhaps I will claim you next." she warned.

"Kinky." He snorted. "What's the ritual for _that_?"

"Pagan." she deadpanned, making it up on the spot. "A lot of nakedness."

His smirk widened, his grey eyes twinkled. "Why, sweetheart, you know me…Always _up_ for naked magic."

She couldn't keep a straight face anymore and she gave up, shaking her head as she chuckled. He was still smirking when he grabbed her chin and tilted it up toward him so he could kiss her. It wasn't a deep kiss but it made something _coil_ in her belly all the same.

"Night, sweetheart." he whispered against her lips.

"Goodnight." She grinned. "Send Peeta back home, will you?"

"Will do." He nodded and got out of her car.

She waited and watched him cross the street to his house in the rearview mirror. It was only when he was safely inside that she made the short trek to her own front door.

°O°O°O°O°

 _The sky was a sick red and orange color like the sun had burst and left a festered wound behind ._

 _Katniss didn't know where she was._

 _She remembered coming back from the club. She remembered checking on Prim who had already been in bed fast asleep. She remembered slipping in that same bed next to her sister because Haymitch had insisted they all needed rest._

 _She remembered…_

 _But it was all blurry._

 _Like something you could see from behind a window on a rainy day._

 _The sky was a sick red and orange color and suddenly she was standing in front of an old dead tree stump and there was a huge hole in the ground._

 _No…_

 _Not a hole._

 _The earth had been dug up in a wild slightly irregular circle but there was some sort of metal glinting deep inside. An ornate thing with runes and weird curved lines, the like of which she had seen in the books in Haymitch's library._

 _A seal._

The _seal._

 _Fingers entwined with hers and she glanced to her right. She wasn't scared, not really. There was nothing scary about the blond girl standing next to her._

 _She frowned. "Madge?"_

 _But it wasn't Madge._

 _The girl's blond hair was loose and wavy and she looked like Madge and yet didn't._

" _Maysilee." she corrected herself in a breath._

 _The other Slayer flashed her a small sad smile._

" _It's awake." Maysilee said, nodding at the Hellmouth._

 _She thought she could smell its stench from where she was. Rot and decay and… But the seal was closed. The Hellmouth was safe._

 _Someone took her other hand and she quickly turned her head to find another girl standing there. She was pretty. Long dark hair twisted in a ponytail, grey eyes that shone with intelligence… The girl was wearing a punk outfit that had long gone out of fashion. She was all leather, that one, leather pants ripped at the thighs and held together with safety pins, leather jacket… She looked fierce and yet she smiled and her smile was kind if a little sad._

Sister _, her instinct whispered,_ Slayer _._

 _With the certainty of dreams, and despite the fact she had never seen a picture of her before, she knew this was Mabel. Haymitch's dead girl._

" _He knows." Mabel whispered._

 _Katniss didn't need to ask who_ knew _because it all made sense in a twisted way._

Snow _._

 _They meant_ Snow _._

" _He's waiting." another voice announced and Katniss looked up to see a third girl standing next to the dead tree, on the other side of the Hellmouth._

 _She was slightly older than the others. She wasn't beautiful in the traditional sense but she had such charisma…_

 _Like Mabel, Katniss knew who she was without ever having seen a picture._

 _Iris._

 _Iris Abernathy._

 _Haymitch's mother._

 _She was older than the others but she was still so young… Too young to be dead. Too young to have left two children behind._

" _He's coming." the three dead Slayers said as one and the words echoed like the rustle of leaves in the winds, it echoed through the mouths of the hundreds of ghosts that were suddenly standing all around them…_

 _All Slayers._

 _All dead._

 _The Hellmouth rumbled…_

 _And then Katniss screamed for the pain was unbearable._

* * *

 _Well... That stakeout was anticlimactic... Who thought Prim was in danger? Who likes that Haymitch is absolutely dumping all the teenage problems on Effie? Who has a plan to take the Capitol? And who thinks that Slayer dream at the end means trouuuuuubles?_


	68. E8: What You Sow (7)

7

* * *

 _Her dream was a declination of crimson hues dotted with darkness._

 _There were voices in that darkness, warnings, but they were mere murmurs on the wind._

 _The dread was very real though, the unwavering certainty that_ bad things _were coming,_ terrible _things, that..._

Effie woke up screaming, drenched in sweat, her lavender nightgown sticking to her skin. She was sitting long before she realized she was awake.

And the boy rushed into her room, machete at the ready, before she could even blink.

"Effie, are you alright?" he asked, finally lowering his weapon when he saw there was no immediate threat.

The soundproofing spell on her bedroom should have prevented him from hearing her nightmares… It was her first thought. Quickly followed by the realization she must have forgotten to close the door properly.

"Yes…" she offered, her voice shakier than she would have wished. "It was just a dream."

Peeta watched her, apparently not convinced. "You screamed. You sounded…"

She opened her mouth to tell him what she suspected, that the dream was a Slayer dream – or, at least, a washed-out echo of one, the only thing she could get now that she wasn't a Potential anymore – but she suddenly bent in two instead, on the verge of being sick.

" _Effie!_ " Peeta panicked.

Her nose was full of the rotting smell of black magic, she felt the shift deep within the Earth, the triumphant throbbing pull of the Hellmouth…

She swallowed back her nausea and swung her legs out of bed, the feeling of dread only increasing even if the waves coming from the Hellmouth were already fading. "We need to get to Haymitch's. _Now_."

To his credit, Peeta didn't hesitate for one second. He was already running before she was properly standing up.

Neither of them bothered with dressing gowns or slippers and the chill of the night was cruel when they burst out into the street. Effie barely felt the bite of the icy wind on her sweaty skin though, she kept her blue eyes on Peeta's bare back and let him rush ahead into Haymitch's house. The lights were on and Cinna met them in the hallway, looking slightly ill himself.

"Did you feel that?" the warlock asked, his dark soulless eyes riveted on her.

The strength of his magic hit her like a brick wall and she staggered back for a second but eventually breathed through it and pushed her discomfort to the side.

"Yes." she confirmed. "Something happened with the Hellmouth. Do you think… The Reaping?"

"No." Cinna shook his head. "It didn't open. I would know."

She nodded in relief and reached for the wall to steady herself. She felt dizzy, like her head was filled with cotton…

"Effie, you don't look alright." Peeta remarked in a soft voice, his hand cradling her elbow as if to prevent an eventual fall.

He didn't look well either. Mostly because they had run outside without bothering to cover themselves and he was only wearing pajama pants. She wanted to tell him to go put on a shirt before he caught a cold but there were priorities and, right then, catching a cold wasn't her main concern.

"Is Haymitch still asleep?" she asked.

She had seen lights on the first floor when she had been in the street.

"Katniss screamed." Cinna told them. "He must be with…"

"What?" Peeta cut him off. His hand left Effie's elbow and he was halfway up the stairs by the time the Slayer showed up at the top of them, Haymitch right behind her.

"I'm fine." the girl grumbled, clearly having heard the last part. "Slayer dream."

Peeta studied her for a second and then he made a face and rushed ahead so he could wrap a comforting arm around her shoulders. "You don't look fine."

Katniss stiffened for a second and then allowed it, leaning into his chest.

Haymitch rolled his eyes but a smirk was tugging at his lips. His grey eyes found Effie. "I told Prim to go back to sleep and now she's sulking again. You've _got_ to have a word with her."

Have a word with Prim, take Katniss to a doctor to get on the pill… She wondered when she was supposed to find time to do that when they were up to their necks in demon business.

He must have realized something was wrong – worse than Slayer dreams – because his face suddenly grew serious and he passed the kids down the stairs in a hurry to get to her quicker. One of his hands ended up on her waist, the other coiled around her forearm.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "You look like you're gonna puke." He made a face. "Please, don't puke."

She weakly whacked his chest in protest and licked her lips, trying to compose herself. She didn't like looking so frail in front of the children. "Slayer dreams and the Hellmouth are a bad combination."

"The Hellmouth?" he repeated.

"Something happened." Cinna clarified, folding his arms in front of his chest. "Not the Reaping. It hasn't opened yet. But whatever it was, it was big and extremely dark. Dark enough that everyone who practices magic must have felt it."

"I didn't feel anything." Peeta winced.

"It might be a preparation ritual before the Reaping." Effie added, hugging herself because chills were running down her spine. "We are running out of time."

"I think we _are_ out of time." Katniss said, swallowing hard. "My dream…"

"Okay, we're not talking about it standing here." Haymitch cut her off. "The lot of you go to the library, I'm gonna make some hot chocolate. Looks like the two of you could use it." His eyes stopped on Peeta. "Go fetch a shirt and socks, kid, it's not summer."

He could talk, Effie mused, because he was bare-chested too and _his_ sweatpants were hanging too low for company. And his hair was tousled by sleep and he smelled good and… She leaned against him without really realizing it. Fortunately, everyone else had followed orders. Cinna was gently guiding Katniss toward the library, Peeta had disappeared, presumably to get more clothes.

"Go upstairs and change." Haymitch instructed her, rubbing her arm. "Take a hot shower. You're cold."

She _was_ cold.

Her nightgown was sticking to her skin – and she was fairly sure both Cinna and Peeta _must_ have been able to tell how cold she was just by looking at her breasts but it was a thought she preferred to ignore. And yet she was also certain it wasn't why she was shivering.

"Whatever is coming, it will be bad." she professed.

He cupped her cheek, tilted her head up… His gaze was resigned, _knowing_ perhaps, because he had warned her time and time again it was indeed going to get bad. The kiss he pressed to her forehead was short, more comforting than loving.

"Don't steal my thunder, sweetheart. I like being the pessimistic one." he deadpanned. "Go upstairs, get warm, and when you come back, make sure the kids don't see how scared you are 'cause that won't help."

He was right, of course, and she took a deep breath, raised on tiptoes to steal a peck that he responded to a little distractedly, and then hopped up the stairs to borrow some clothes from his wardrobe. She didn't take a shower because she knew they didn't have time for that sort of luxury but she did search for the smoothest warmest flannel shirt in his drawer. She borrowed a pair of clean boxers but didn't bother with pants and topped the outfit with woolen socks that she pulled up to her knees.

She wouldn't have dared call that look fashionable but she decided it was cute in a just-rolled-out-of-bed way. Feeling cute helped her schooling her features into something a little more cheerful and confident.

When she eventually entered the library, everyone was nursing a mug of hot chocolate and Haymitch handed her one without a word. She took the empty seat next to him. The children were huddled close together on the other side of the table and Cinna was sitting between the four of them, not quite part of the group yet.

"Tell us, Katniss." Haymitch demanded.

The girl sought her gaze and Effie forced a smile, shaking her head a little. "My Slayer dreams are not clear. I can just tell it was not a good omen."

The Slayer hesitated a while longer, her grey eyes darting to Haymitch without meeting his and then away.

"I saw three former Slayers." the girl eventually said. "They warned me the Hellmouth is awake and that Snow knows what's going on and is waiting." She shrugged. "Then there were more Slayers… Too many to count and they said…"

"He's coming." Effie finished for her in a whisper. She hadn't known the words before hearing Katniss' tale but now… Now she did. Now she remembered. She hoped she did a good job at hiding the nervousness but, if Haymitch's hand discreetly falling on her thigh under the table was any indication, she didn't.

"Which Slayers?" Haymitch asked, even though it really wasn't the most pertinent question right then.

There was something in his eyes… A _hunger_ … A doubt…

Katniss made a face and looked down into her mug, staring at the hot chocolate as if the answer was swimming in there… "Maysilee, Mabel and your mom."

"All the Slayers who made an impact on this Hellmouth…" Cinna hummed. "All the Slayers who directly went against Snow…"

It made sense, of course, but it making sense didn't help Haymitch swallow that.

His face closed, his hand snatched away from Effie's leg as if the contact suddenly burned him, and she could feel him emotionally retreating from the conversation even though he didn't move a muscle.

"Alright. So Snow knows they want to bust him out and something happened with the Hellmouth tonight and you're telling me it's not the Reaping?" he directed his question at Cinna. "Cause coupled with that Slayer dream…"

"It was something else." Effie argued. "It was…"

"A dark ritual." Cinna confirmed when she let her sentence trail off. "Really dark." The warlock fidgeted on his chair. "I am worried about Portia."

Haymitch checked the clock on the wall. It was the early hours of morning, barely five. Then, he glanced at her and Effie did her best not to let it show that they had an inkling where the witch might be.

They had an entire conversation in that second and the silent conclusion of that conversation was that they didn't have any chance of successfully raiding the Capitol, not even during daylight, not if it was under the control of an army of vampires. It was the very same problem Iris Abernathy, Mabel Larson and Maysilee Donner had faced in their time. The Capitol could _not_ be taken.

If Cinna insisted on going, they would have to follow. She didn't foresee any outcome where they all got out of there still breathing. Cinna might make it out because he was _that_ powerful but Katniss would be a target and she and Haymitch… Well, they were humans. Not a warlock or a Slayer but humans. And they might be better than the average person at this game of fighting the occult but they were still _fragile_ compared to demons and vampires…

"Did you get anywhere with the book?" he asked.

Cinna let out a frustrated snort. "Nowhere. I can't crack the code. There are a few codices left to try though."

Haymitch waved his hand. "Then let's try those. Effie, Katniss and I are going on a recon mission to the Hellmouth."

"I should come." Cinna immediately argued.

"You're the only one who can touch that book." he pointed out. "And we're just going to have a look. See if there's any activity." He glanced at the clock again and then at her and his Slayer. "We leave in ten. Get ready quick." His eyes lingered on Effie and he lifted an eyebrow. "Stealth mission. No pink."

She made a face at him, annoyed, but it got the designed results and earned him a few chuckles from the children.

"What should I do?" Peeta asked.

There was no point telling him to go back to bed and they both knew that.

"Help Cinna. Look at the shelves for more codices… Hell, _fucking_ _google_ some… Look through the books again in case we missed something…" He shook his head. "I need you on the research front. I need to _fucking_ know what this Reaping is."

Peeta accepted that with a nod. "Okay."

"Okay." Haymitch repeated.

And then they were all moving, rushing to get ready for their respective tasks.

Her pink car wasn't exactly inconspicuous so they borrowed Peeta's truck. Effie insisted on driving because she was nervous and her magic was slowly bubbling under her skin and it was better for her mind to be focused on the road rather than worry she wouldn't be able to control it. Katniss had her bow laid over her lap in the backseat and she was petting it without even realizing it. Haymitch was silent. He stared through the window the whole drive and didn't say a word.

Effie wasn't sure what she was expecting to find in the meadow between the Capitol Hotel and the dead tree that marked the Hellmouth but she had expected… _Something_.

It was all calm, though.

Nothing amiss.

Not even a lone vampire roaming.

They parked a little away and crept around until Katniss got fed up with them, told them they were too noisy and everyone could hear them miles away, and ordered them to go back to the car while she sneaked closer. Neither of them liked it but it was the first time their Slayer took charge during a mission so they allowed it.

They sat in tense silence and didn't even try to make conversation.

It was a long half hour before Katniss opened the backdoor, making them both startle.

"There's nothing here." she declared. "There are people in the hotel, as much as I can tell, but the lightning tree looked the same as ever. No hole in the ground with a metal seal like in my dream either."

"Any trace of Portia?" Effie insisted. "Of magic? Perhaps I should check… You would not know what to look for…" The sky was turning pinkish. "The sun will be up in a few minutes, I will be safe…"

"Safe from vampires. Not safe from a witch." Haymitch pointed out but immediately let out an annoyed sound. "Effie's right though, you might have missed magic stuff."

"I didn't miss anything." Katniss grumbled. "But knock yourself out."

In the end, she did go and check because she _needed_ to see for herself that everything was right.

Haymitch walked with her, his hand on the grip of his knife…

They both stood in front of the dead stump and, even though they looked around, they couldn't find any trace of any sort of magical ritual. Whatever had happened that night hadn't happened on the Hellmouth which hopefully meant it wasn't related to their Career problem – but that seemed like too much of a coincidence to hope for. And there was no telling if the magic hadn't taken place in the hotel but neither of them suggested they took a closer look.

"We're missing something." he muttered as they trekked back toward the car. "We're missing something and I don't like it."

She didn't like it either.

All the more so when she had the irritating feeling whatever they were missing was right under their nose.

* * *

 _Can you spell troubles? And make it double? XD So... Any theories? Will they ever see some action in this episode, you ask? HAHAHAHA. Consider I am sporting an evil grin. (also according to Akachankami who's doing the beta, Peeta with a machete is a new aesthetic we should all embrace) Let me know your thoughts!_


	69. E8: What You Sow (8)

**8**

* * *

His kitchen was in a complete domestic disarray, like it was most mornings, and Haymitch briefly wondered if that was why the Council disapproved of Watchers becoming too involved with their Slayer or why they were encouraged to leave their family behind when they became the active Watcher. The urgent matter of the possible looming apocalypse had momentarily been replaced by the more pressing problem of getting care of everyday business: like making sure the three kids in his care were fed, calling the school in sick for himself, Effie _and_ the kids – _again_ – and making sure Prim would be on time at her own school because the girl was adamant about going _since she would only end up being sent back to her room when something interesting happened anyway_.

He wasn't sure what to do with Prim acting up. She had always been _so sweet_ up until then…

"Are we being like those overprotective parents who suffocate their kid?" he asked Effie in a low voice, a little uncertainly, when he stole the mug full of coffee from her hand despite her pout. He needed the coffee. He hadn't gotten enough sleep lately. Or liquor. The tremors in his hands were troubling and he was starting to feel the first effects of withdrawals. He would be no good to anyone if he collapsed but, at the same time, he needed his wits about him and…

Effie lifted a perfectly shaped eyebrow, her lips twitching. "We sent Peeta on a cover mission that could potentially have been dangerous just last night."

"Was talking about Prim." he winced, keeping his voice low although he wasn't sure why he bothered because, behind him, Katniss and her sister were bickering for the first time _ever_.

Effie winced too. "She feels left out."

"I know." he sighed, taking a sip of coffee and wincing some more because it burned his tongue. It was also dark and bitter and everything he didn't like. He wasn't sure how she could drink it like that.

"Haymitch, when you've dropped Prim off, can you pick up Madge?" Peeta asked, almost shouting to cover the noise the two girls were making. "She wants to help. She'll wait for you next to the square."

The boy waved his phone so Haymitch could get a glimpse of the text conversation on the screen. He nodded his assent because, at this point, they needed all the help they could get.

"I'll hit Ripper on the way back." he told Effie. "See if she's learned something since my last visit."

"With Madge?" Effie asked dubiously. "Be careful."

He rolled his eyes. "Ain't gonna start a demon brawl with her in the room, sweetheart, give me _some_ credit." But showing up with a Maysilee look-alike might shake Ripper just enough that he would get answers. "Kid, let's go."

"You've got your shirt out of your skirt again, little duck!" Katniss complained.

Prim righted her clothes, grabbed her bag with something that wasn't _quite_ a glare for her sister and snatched the spare helmet on her way to the door.

"Have a nice field trip, dear!" Effie chimed at her retreating back and Prim paused long enough to thank her but it lacked her usual warmth.

Haymitch took a deep breath, praying for patience, and followed the kid. There wasn't much conversation on the way to school and he felt bad about that. It wasn't the girl's fault. She was constantly overlooked and that couldn't be pleasant but he had troubles balancing everything and…

"Sweetheart…" he hesitated once he had dropped her off and she was handing him the helmet back. "I know it's not fun right now…"

She looked down at her feet, as if a little ashamed. "It's fine. I know you're all busy and it's important."

"Yeah, it's pretty important." he acknowledged, swinging his leg over the bike so he could stand in front of her. "But you're important too. _Hell_ , half the reason I bother trying to save the world is because you're gonna live in it." He nudged her chin up. "We don't keep you away from that _shit_ because we don't want you… We keep you away cause we…"

He couldn't say _we love you_. The words wouldn't roll past his lips.

Apparently he didn't need to because she suddenly wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tight. "I'm sorry I've been behaving like a baby."

"Not a baby…" he snorted, hugging back. "More like a regular teenager…"

And there would be more of that to come, he was sure. He had taken care of enough young girls to _not_ be looking forward to that.

She looked up, a sad smile on her lips. "It's just… I know you have to take care of Katniss and I'm just…"

"You're not _just_ anything." he cut her off, frowning. "What you are, right now, is _mine_. Family. And you're nicer than your sister so that's working in your favor if we're counting points…" She giggled and he winked at her before gently tugging on one of her braids. "Have fun on your trip. You've got a stake?"

Prim snorted. "A stake, holy water and a switchblade in my shoe."

"Good girl." he praised, bowing down to plant a kiss on the top of her head. "One of us will pick you up after school, so stay put. I don't want you walking around on your own right now."

He swung back on the bike, lifting his hand in farewell to answer her wave and kicked the engine into life. Finding Madge wasn't complicated even though the girl was doing her best to look like she _wasn't_ doing anything wrong.

"First time cutting school?" he teased, handing her the helmet Prim had just relinquished.

She winced guiltily but hopped behind him without showing any apparent fear. "You're a teacher, you know, you're not supposed to encourage us to do that kind of stuff."

His laugh was swallowed by the roar of the bike.

If Madge had misgivings about visiting a demon bar, she hid them well. She remained close to him as instructed, didn't say anything at all, but her eyes traveled everywhere in the dump that was _Ripper's_ with unabashed curiosity.

The half-demon behind the bar did a double take when she spotted her next to him.

"You're dealing in necromancy now?" Ripper challenged, a touch of fear in her voice. "That's what your witch was up to last night?"

Haymitch took his time cataloguing the various demons in the bar before perching himself on one of the stools. The place was almost empty and he doubted the couple of demons in there would be looking for trouble, they were the pacific kind.

"Take another look." He snorted, patting the stool next to his so Madge would know it was safe to sit.

Ripper did and, while she lifted her eyebrows in surprise, she didn't say anything more about his dead Slayer. She did however slam an empty glass in front of him and reach for a bottle on a shelf behind the bar. He didn't stop her when she poured the whiskey despite Madge's slightly disapproving glance.

"Looks like you need it." Ripper muttered, resting her elbows on the sticky counter and leaning forward a little. "I don't have much for you… No specifics. But something's up. Last night… Your witch, she must have felt it."

"She did." he confirmed. "But we went to the Hellmouth and there was not a _fucking_ thing to see." He took a sip of his whiskey, savoring it, aware that the half-demon hadn't missed the slight tremor in his fingers. "Come on, you've got to have something better for me. I'd hate to have to break something…"

Ripper rolled her eyes, glancing at the blond girl who was sorely out of place in that bar. Madge Undersee was sticking out like a sore thumb and it only added to the weight on Haymitch's shoulders because… Well, he remembered sitting right there with another blond girl, her spitting image, and it had been… Perhaps not _fun_ but…

 _Maysilee, Mabel and your mom…_

The fact that those three had visited Katniss the previous night…

He saw them all the time in his nightmares. They were the ghosts he couldn't shake. But they were not _real_. And…

"Rumor is something's in the work." Ripper told him. "Something big. It's been deader than dead for a few nights in here. No vampires. A few demons have packed up and left town. You're asking me… The Careers are gonna act soon. _Today_ or _tomorrow_ kind of _soon_."

That was what he feared.

He turned the glass this way and that, making the whiskey whirl, _thinking_ …

"What about the witch?" Madge asked, surprising both him and Ripper. When the half-demon's attention settled on her, the girl sat a little straighter. "Do you know anything about the witch they're using for their ritual?"

Ripper shook her head. "I don't know _shit_ about that, kid. There are more than one strange magical being in town."

"So, you don't _fucking_ know anything useful." Haymitch summed up, downing his glass.

Ripper glared at him. "I know I don't want Snow to _fucking_ come back so I'm gonna give you a call if I hear more but, whatever's going on, they're not babbling about it. The Careers are running a tight ship, Haymitch."

"Fair enough." He sighed and stood up, gesturing at Madge to follow him.

"Girl." Ripper called reluctantly when they reached the door. Madge turned, both a little curious and more than a little afraid. Haymitch could feel it, no doubt so could the rest of the demons in the bar. "She was a _fucking_ good Slayer. Don't go and get yourself killed, she wouldn't have liked that. Stay away from these parts."

Haymitch steered her out with a hand between her shoulder blades before she could answer. Madge was silent all the way to the bike and he cleared his throat, feeling compelled to address the problem that had never been outright spoken of. He had gotten used to having her around, had gotten better at not looking for the similarities but spotting the differences, he had stopped seeing _Maysilee_ when he looked at her… He was as comfortable around her as he was going to get and yet he still hated the idea of talking about…

"She _was_ a _fucking_ good Slayer." he muttered reluctantly, his voice a little rough.

Madge flashed him a small sad smile. "Then let's make her proud and stop this before it starts."

He nodded at her because _that_ … Well, it was a plan he could get behind.

"Hop on." he ordered, handing her the spare helmet.

"Do you believe her?" she asked, once she was settled behind him but before he could start the bike. "The demon? Do you believe her when she says she doesn't know anything?"

He didn't even have to think about it. "Yeah. She's got nothing to win if Snow comes back and she's not the kind who thrills on chaos."

 _Unlike_ _some_.

He pondered that as he drove them home, wondering if it was worth trying to locate some more chaos attracted demons and beat answers out of them… It seemed desperate but weren't they at the point for desperate measures?

Once they reached his house, Madge went straight for the library where she was welcomed with a semi-happy, semi-relieved grunt from Katniss who immediately closed the book she was reading. Peeta flashed her a grin, Cinna barely glanced up from the pile of codices he was consulting…

Effie was conspicuously missing…

"She's in the kitchen." Peeta helpfully offered.

Since nobody rushed to tell him they had solved this _shit_ , he nodded his thanks and retreated to the end of the corridor where he found her making tea. She had changed into what he privately dubbed her would-be-Slayer outfit: skin tight black leather pants, a black corset that inevitably made his blood drift south and squared-heeled boots that made the whole thing look even more… _sexy_. He knew that if they went out she would complete it with a leather jacket that had a ridiculous glittery butterfly on its back and he just… He loved that. That she could be ridiculously girly even dressed to kill. It was…

"Expecting a fight?" he mocked.

She didn't startle but he figured she had heard them come in.

She kept her back to him. She was staring at his overgrown backyard through the window over the sink, absentmindedly stirring a bag of tea inside a teapot he was pretty sure he didn't own. He should probably have been concerned about her stuff migrating to his house with constant regularity.

"Don't you?" she retorted, a second too late and without enough amusement to make it a joke.

Haymitch glanced behind him to make sure nobody was about to interrupt and then crossed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing his face into her neck.

He missed her.

He wanted her.

It hadn't been forty-eight hours since the last time they had been in bed together but he missed her and he wanted her and it scared him to death.

There would be no time for that, though. No time for sex. No time for stolen kisses.

They were in the eye of the storm.

He had been in enough of them to know, to _feel_ it.

It wouldn't last.

Soon, too soon, they would be in too deep and they wouldn't be able to afford distractions.

And this thing between them… It was a distraction.

She leaned against him, closing her eyes, her hands grabbing his arms with enough strength to _bruise_ … "I feel fate closing in on us, Haymitch… I am scared somebody will die…"

Chances were somebody _would_ die. There were too many of them. The odds… The odds weren't good.

"That's part of the job." he reminded her.

"Ours, yes. Not the children's." she argued but snapped her mouth shut because they had talked about this enough times.

Katniss didn't have a choice, Peeta had made it clear he wanted to contribute any way he could, Madge wouldn't see combat and Prim would be kept safe at all cost in the Village. They would do whatever they could to keep the children safe. No… If anyone was really at risk of getting killed, statistically…

"If I die, you're up." he reminded her.

"Don't say things like that!" she hissed. "Didn't we agree you would…"

"I will fight. _Fuck_ , I will fight…" he promised, pressing a kiss on her neck. "But if I die, you take over. Promise me. You grieve later, you kick Snow's ass right back into hell first. _Promise me_ , Effie."

For a moment, he thought she wouldn't but then she let out a long breath. "I promise. You will do the same. If I die…"

"You won't die." he cut her off, tightening his arms around her. "You _won't_."

And yet there was this little voice at the back of his mind that told him _she would_ because he had been stupid enough to let her sneak her way under his skin, to let her _close,_ to…

"I told you…" she whispered. "I feel fate closing in. I told you once, didn't I? Me being here, being with _you_ who could have been my Watcher… I feel it, Haymitch."

"You're just shaken up 'cause of that dream." he dismissed. "And you're tired. We all are. _Fuck_ fate. Maybe we're all gonna make it to fight another day."

"Perhaps." she answered but she was clearly humoring him. "Still. Promise me. Duty first."

"Duty first." he agreed reluctantly.

She turned her head, a forced smile on her lips, and stole a kiss that he deepened because… It felt desperate. When she turned in his arms, he pinned her against the sink with his hips, wishing there was time to…

She drew her head back, licked her lips… "We should go back to the others. Help however we can."

"Yeah." he sighed.

She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. He let her rub his mouth with her thumb to erase the traces of lipstick and took the tray with the teapot and the cups before she could.

The mood in the library hadn't improved during his short absence.

Cinna was clearly getting more and more frustrated by the minute and Haymitch wasn't surprised when, after half an hour of the lot of them sipping tea and uselessly skimming through books they had already searched, he slammed a codex shut and stood up to pace the room.

Effie closed her eyes, a wince on her face. "Please."

Cinna tossed her an annoyed look but made a visible effort to relax. His shoulders lost some of their tension but not all.

It was all an invisible battle to Haymitch although he knew what was going on. He couldn't feel magic, not like Effie did, but for having been submitted to a spell from the warlock one time or two, he knew it wasn't pleasant. His magic wasn't like Effie's. It didn't feel warm and it didn't tingle. It felt hot enough to burn to ash in a second, like lava.

"This is pointless!" Cinna hissed. "None of those codices matches. We're wasting time."

What was there to answer to that? Cinna was right.

Haymitch swallowed back a sigh, about to suggest his half-assed plan about finding some demon to beat up in hope they would know something, when Peeta spoke.

"Maybe it's enchanted." the boy said and his words seemed to settle weirdly in the silence.

Both Effie and Cinna turned to look at him with a sudden intensity and, under the scrutiny, Peeta blushed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. You know better, I just…"

"No." Effie cut him off gently, waving her hand to dismiss the apology. "What were you about to say, dear?"

Peeta hesitated, glanced at Katniss who gave him an encouraging shrug, and cleared his throat. "Well… It was in one of the books you had me read about magic… Some family spellbooks… They're enchanted to make sure nobody but people belonging to the bloodline can read them…"

Haymitch's eyes traveled from Effie to Cinna because he was out of his depths but, for the two magic users, it was like a cloud had been lifted.

"Of course!" Cinna exclaimed, marching back to the abandoned unreadable spellbook just as Effie stood up to join him. " _Damn_ Elindra."

"But why wouldn't she mention it?" Effie frowned. "She specifically told me _not_ to touch the book. If I am the only one able to read it…"

"Because she did not want you to take part in the fight." Cinna growled. "She wanted you safe and that was her twisted way of accomplishing that. I _hate_ this woman." He tossed Effie a slightly regretful look. "My apologies."

Effie waved her hand again. "She has that effect on a lot of people."

"So that's it?" Peeta asked eagerly. "Effie reads it and we finally know what this Reaping is all about?"

Haymitch certainly hoped so but, of course, Cinna shook his head. "It is not so simple. Elindra's warning was sound, the book is full of black magic." He looked at Effie who was standing next to him. "If you touch it, I cannot guarantee it won't corrupt you."

The witch appeared to steel herself. "It is a risk we will have to take."

"No." Haymitch said, rising to his feet. "We're gonna find…"

"Duty first." Effie reminded him flatly, keeping her eyes averted.

The kids were watching them with wide eyes, probably sensing the storm.

" _That's_ my duty." he snapped. "We don't need someone as powerful as you turning dark. We need…"

"There is another option." Cinna interrupted, turning to face Effie. She turned too, out of reflex, and the warlock grabbed her hands. "Do you trust me?"

"Do I have a choice?" she joked lightly.

The grin Cinna flashed her was more predatory than amused. "Not really."

And then, before Haymitch could understand what had happened, Effie gasped and there was blood _everywhere_. Her forearms had split open along the veins and the blood… The blood was sliding all over Cinna's fingers, all over _his_ arms instead of dropping to the floor…

Katniss reached for a sword and swung it at Cinna before Haymitch had even moved but the blade shattered on what must have been a magic shield.

"What the _fuck_ are you doing?" Haymitch asked, panicked. Because if _Cinna_ was betraying them…

"What I must to find the woman I love." the warlock answered and then he let go of Effie, his arms soaked with her blood up to his shoulders, his shirt _dripping_ with it, and grabbed the book. A pleased smile blossomed on his lips. "It's working. I can read it."

But Haymitch wasn't paying him any attention because Effie swayed on her feet…

And then she collapsed.

* * *

 _*Evil cackle* I'm impatient to know what you all think..._


	70. E8: What You Sow (9)

9.

* * *

Katniss barely had time to break Effie's fall, glaring at Cinna all the while. Haymitch was there in a flash, taking off his sweater to press against the gaping wounds on her forearms, knowing she had lost too much blood and she would… There was _no_ coming back from something like that, not if…

"Stay with me." he begged, vaguely aware Peeta had kneeled behind her head and Madge was fumbling with her phone, probably trying to call 911… Katniss had taken off her own shirt and was pressing on her other arm, trying to contain what little blood was left in her. "Stay with me, sweetheart."

Her eyelids fluttered open and closed.

"Her powers will kick in." Cinna said casually, as if she wasn't lying there dying…

A wave of hatred like he had rarely known made it hard for Haymitch to breathe and he vowed that the moment she would fade away, _Cinna_ _would_ _die_. And _painfully_ at that.

"Effie…" Peeta pleaded, his voice breaking into a sob.

The girls were both crying although Katniss was trying her best to swallow back her tears…

Haymitch bent down to press a kiss on her lips. " _May the odds be ever in your favor."_ The good luck spell didn't do any good, probably because he had no real power to speak of and he had never been good at casting in an emergency anyway… "Effie, _please_ …"

Her fingers started glowing gold first. Then the light slowly spread to her palms and her wrists… The moment it hit Haymitch's hands, he could feel her magic was much more brutal than usual. _Unchecked_. It hurt.

"Move back." he ordered Katniss quickly and his Slayer let go without a moment of hesitation.

Haymitch straddled Effie's thighs so he could maintain pressure on both arms, gritting his teeth against the burning pain in his fingers. He had to fight an instinctive urge to snatch his hands back, to protect himself.

It was slow going.

Too slow.

"Help her!" Katniss ordered, grabbing Cinna's arm and pulling him down on the floor with the rest of them.

Haymitch got only a glimpse of his blood soaked arms and he had to repress the urge to _roar_ with anger.

Cinna looked dazed, almost high, probably because what the magic he had just used was as dark as it got and black magic had its drawbacks. It was better than a shoot of cocaine, from what he had been told.

"I am not quite gifted with healing spells." the warlock warned.

"Stay the _fuck_ away from her." Haymitch countered. The last thing he needed was Cinna butchering what her magic was trying to do. "Read that _fucking_ book and you better _hope_ she pulls through or you're _dead meat_."

"Haymitch…" Cinna winced, a touch of genuine regret in his voice. "I…"

" _Fuck_ off." he spat. "There's no forgiving this."

He kept his eyes on Effie's pale face because he didn't know what he would have done if he had looked at Cinna right then. Peeta already looked murderous and Katniss… Well, he would probably have to fight her for the honor of killing the warlock.

Effie's eyelids fluttered open.

"Effie, you've got to hang on." Peeta said, gently brushing her hair away from her pale face. "You can't leave me. You _can't_ …"

The golden halo had spread to both arms up to where the cuts ended now and Haymitch finally breathed a little more easily. He dared decrease the pressure on the wounds, lifted the soiled shirts to check…

The slices were mending.

"Good job, sweetheart." he praised through the lump in his throat. "That's it."

His heart was racing in his chest when her gaze finally became less glassy and more focused. She blinked a few times, staring at Peeta who was bent over her head before finding _his_ eyes…

"Don't sit on me." she croaked.

Haymitch laughed.

He laughed with relief and he pretended hard that the tears that burned his eyes were from that relieved mirth.

It was still several minutes before the wounds were closed and she felt well enough to sit. Peeta helped her, sitting behind her, encouraging her to lean on him… Madge rushed to the kitchen to grab something sugary…

She was clearly still dizzy and a little out of it when Haymitch and Katniss, finally convinced she _was_ going to live, stood up to confront Cinna.

"Don't." Effie's whisper stopped them before they could do something hasty – like try to take on a warlock who had been around for centuries and get their asses kicked in the process. "He did what we needed. It's alright."

"I _am_ sorry." Cinna offered, barely glancing up from the spellbook. It was enough for them all to see real anguish and regret on his face. "I lost control."

"A word of warning would be nice next time." Effie joked, turning her head to look at Peeta. "Help me up, dear, I feel better."

"There _won't_ be a next time." Haymitch growled, helping her up himself before the boy could. He was careful when he led her to a chair. If he had had his way, he would have carried her upstairs and forced her to remain in bed for a while but he didn't even suggest it, knowing there was no way she would accept. "Take it easy." He grabbed the bottle of soda and the glass from Madge and poured her a generous amount. "Drink. Peeta, go get the good cookies in the pantry. And chocolate. She needs chocolate."

" _She_ needs for you _not_ to hover like this." Effie grumbled.

"You bled out on me so, _shut up_ and let me take care of you." he accused.

"I'll go get something to clean this up." Katniss muttered, gesturing at the blood.

Cinna winced and waved a hand.

It was like nothing had happened. The blood disappeared from the floor, their shirts were immaculate… Except for Effie leaning a little too heavily against his side, it was like he had dreamed the last ten minutes.

Katniss wasn't happy until the witch had drunk two full glasses of soda and Peeta forced her to eat a few cookies. Haymitch personally made sure she had a large portion of chocolate. Madge hovered, asking her if she could do something, _anything_ …

Haymitch could tell they weren't helping any, that what Effie wanted was calm, but… He couldn't stop himself and the kids were shaken…

"Honestly, I am fine!" she finally snapped, lifting both hands in the air to make her point. "Slightly dizzy from the blood loss but my magic is working on it as we speak… One healing spell or two and I will be right as rain."

"Except you used so much magic we shouldn't risk you spending more today." Haymitch remarked, low enough that it wouldn't carry to the children.

Effie pursed her lips and pointedly turned to Cinna. "Tell me this little scene was worth it. What do you have?"

Cinna, it seemed, had been waiting for that very question. "Details on how to perform the Reaping. Your mother was right, the ritual is in here."

"Yeah, well, since we don't want to actually _perform_ a Reaping, how about how to _stop_ one?" Haymitch snarled, glaring at the warlock.

"Do not be rude." Effie chided.

"What, you mean like when Cinna sliced your veins open?" Katniss deadpanned. "That kind of rude?"

The witch was clearly too exhausted to deal with their Slayer's sass, she returned her attention to Cinna. "What can we use?"

"Well…" the warlock hummed, his blood soaked finger following a line of that gibberish text on the page. "The Reaping _is_ a human sacrifice as we suspected. Children. A lot of them. They have to be bled out directly over the Hellmouth so we know _where_ they will strike…"

 _Children_.

Haymitch felt the chill run down his spine.

"Once the Hellmouth is watered enough, the witch can open the door to the demonic dimension of their choice…" Cinna continued.

"Do you have a timeframe?" Katniss glared at him. "Like… Something that's actually _useful_? And that _justifies_ what you did to Effie?"

"The Reaping has to take place _when the sun and the moon kiss_." the warlock answered, unperturbed.

They were all silent for a moment.

"Dusk?" Effie suggested.

"Or dawn…" Haymitch corrected.

"Or…" Peeta had gone white and he swallowed hard. "Or an _eclipse_?"

Both he and Effie went rigid.

"An eclipse?" he repeated, dread pooling in his stomach. "Who the _fuck_ said there's going to be an eclipse?"

"Every media for the last week?" Madge hesitated.

Effie placed a hand on his shoulder and exchanged a quick look with Cinna but Haymitch didn't care because… This was _it_. It had to be.

 _Eclipses_ …

 _Shit_ always went down during eclipses…

How had they missed _that?_

"When?" he asked.

"Today." Madge answered and then checked her watch. "In less than an hour."

Haymitch bolted to his feet. "Get weapons. We need to get a move on."

He was already walking toward the weapon trunk, Katniss was ahead of him, Cinna was helping Effie to her feet – and Haymitch had something to say about that but…

Madge and Peeta shared a frightened look.

"There's something else." the boy said and they all stopped because he sounded… "Prim…"

" _Fuck_ , yeah… Right." Haymitch rubbed his mouth, blaming himself for not thinking about that. But there was a solution. "Madge, you know how to drive, yeah? Take Effie's car. Go get her and…"

"No, Haymitch, it's her field trip." Peeta cut him off. "It's about the eclipse, she told me this morning…"

More silence.

A deadly one.

"What?" Katniss said softly, too softly. It came out like a quack.

" _And you didn't find it important to mention it?"_ Haymitch shouted, losing the meager control he had on his temper. Watching Effie almost die and then learning that the apocalypse was less than an hour away and that children were at risk would do that to him. And now, not only that, but _his_ child was at risk?

"I didn't know it was important!" Peeta protested, immediately turning to Katniss. "I thought she had cleared it with you and Haymitch! He signed her permission slip!"

Katniss' growing anger was quickly redirected toward him.

Haymitch looked at Effie, a bit lost… He only _vaguely_ remembered signing it.

 _Fuck_ , but he needed a drink. Or three. Or a bottle. Or…

"You did." the witch confirmed.

"I didn't read it. She didn't say it was about an eclipse, I would have connected the _fucking_ dots sooner." he spat. "But… That's fine, alright? Madge will go get her wherever they're having this thing…"

"It's in the meadow." Madge said, ruining all his hopes that he hadn't hopelessly blown it. "Next to the Capitol Hotel. I know because Gale's brother is going too. He told me last time I saw him."

"Oh, _fuck_." Effie said.

And that was how he knew they were in deep _shit_.

If his unshakable polite English witch was swearing…

"I'm going." Katniss said immediately, swinging her quiver over her head.

"No, no, no…" Haymitch refused, lifting both hands to stall her. "We ain't rushing into this without a plan."

"We don't have time." Katniss snarled.

"No, we don't." he agreed. "That's why you're gonna listen for two minutes." He took a deep breath, locked eyed with Effie… She didn't look ready to assume command though. She looked ready to collapse. This whole thing was on him. He had dropped the ball. He should have… He should have stayed on top of things and not get distracted by pretty witches with blue eyes and terrific legs. He should have… "Peeta, Madge, load the car. We need stakes, holy water, swords… Anything we can use. Cinna, when we get there, I need you to take point on the magic front. Stop your girlfriend from opening the Hellmouth. Effie, once we're there, you get the children away, there must be a bus or something… Katniss… You and I, we're taking the Careers out."

"No." Effie protested. "I will help with the Careers. I can fight. I am fine."

"No, you ain't." he scoffed. "And we don't have time to fight about this so…" He turned toward the kids who were already grabbing as many weapons as they could carry. "Madge, when you're done loading the car, I want you to lock yourself in here, alright?"

"I'm coming." the girl said, surprising everyone. "I can't fight but I can help get the children away." She stopped on the threshold and glanced at Katniss. "You should call Gale. Rory is there too."

"We could use another archer." Peeta reluctantly agreed.

It wasn't ideal but… The truth was, at this point, they could use all the help they could get.

"Fine." Haymitch said. "We leave in two minutes. If you've got to pee, now's the time to do it. No bathroom break during the apocalypse."

His joke fell on deaf ears and it wasn't really funny in the first place.

The last thing he did before leaving the house was grab his mother's sword…

If Snow ever managed to rise…

Well, he would try to take his head off with it.

It would be a fitting end.

* * *

 _*snickers* Well... thoughts?_


	71. E8: What You Sow (10)

**10**

* * *

Prim felt slightly guilty about her white lie but the moment they got out of the bus and started spreading around the meadow in small groups to find a good spot, she began to relax a little.

The reason she hadn't told Haymitch or Katniss where the field trip was taking place was because she knew they would have forbidden her to go. But what was the alternative? Staying home in her room and waiting for the end of the world to come? It had been coming for _weeks_ and didn't seem in any hurry to actually happen so… She might as well enjoy the world while it was still there.

"Relax, Prim." Rory teased, tugging on her wrist so she would sit down next to him. "It's just an eclipse. It's gonna be _boring."_

She snorted and obliged him by sitting next to him, propping her notebook open on her thigh, ready to take notes. Rory didn't bother with a notebook or notes. He was a nice boy – and a good friend – but he fancied himself a bit of a rebel – or at least he pretended to be.

"Do you have the glasses?" she asked him because the teachers kept repeating they needed to make sure they had them at the ready. Looking straight at the eclipse without them could be dangerous for their eyes. Hers were already propped on her head, ready to be slid in place when needed. She was determined to get a good grade on this assignment.

Not that anyone at home would care but…

"Right here." he said, slipping them out of his pocket and fiddling with them. "So… You want to grab a burger at _Sae's_ after?"

"I can't…" she said reluctantly. "Haymitch wants me home right after school."

She averted her eyes and pretended to follow the teacher's lecture – the woman was shouting in vain because everyone was chatting and talking between themselves instead of listening. She forced herself not to glance at the dead tree that had once been struck by lightning, knowing what lay beneath. It sent a thrill down her spine to be so close to danger – _without_ actually being in danger –and she wondered if that was what Katniss felt when she strode around at night dispatching vampires.

Her sister was much braver than she was. Prim would have never found the strength to do that. She would have been too scared.

But she was a bit proud of herself right then for conquering her fears. There she was, sitting right next to the Hellmouth nobody else around her had any clue about, and she wasn't scared. Why would she be? It was daylight, she was lost in the middle of three classes of children of various ages and she was perfectly safe.

"You know…" Rory hesitated. "Gale doesn't like your guardian much. Mom says he seems alright but…"

"Haymitch is _the_ _best_." she cut him off with a frown. She shot him something that wasn't _quite_ a glare but it was close. "He's protective, that's all."

And he had reasons to be.

And it made another pang of guilt throb right through her because she knew that, directly or not, she had defied his instructions: _don't be stupid and make sure you're safe at all times_.

Coming on the Hellmouth without him, Effie or her sister was stupid.

But she _was_ safe, wasn't she?

She was in a crowd, she would have a good time, and she had hidden weapons in her bag and in her shoe if she needed them…

 _What_ could go wrong?

°O°O°O°O°

Peeta was driving so fast he could barely control the car's trajectory.

They were too far away.

They were too far away and the sky was slowly turning a sick reddish color and he could still glimpse the bike in the far distance, hopelessly distancing him but not enough to make a real difference…

Next to him, Effie was clutching the handle over the passenger door, her jaw clenched as if she was trying to control a burst of nausea. She looked pale. Too pale.

Peeta refused to think about all the blood. He refused to think about what could have happened because then he would get angry at the warlock again and the warlock was currently sitting behind him on the backseat, exuding so much raw magic that even _he_ was feeling it.

As for Madge, she looked scared but determined, her glossy blond hair pulled up in a hasty ponytail. She was gripping a stake that looked utterly out of place in her hands…

They were ready for battle and they were all aware they might be driving to their death.

His phone started ringing and he swore, fishing it out of his pocket and almost sending them all off the road because he was going too fast for that sort of antics. He swerved right back in the middle of the road, ignoring Effie's disapproving cluck of her tongue.

The witch snatched the phone from his hand and answered, putting the caller on speaker so Peeta could hear.

"Gale." he greeted because it had been the default ringtone when all his friends had an actual personalized song programmed. Who else but Gale could call him at this time?

" _Yeah."_ the boy confirmed. _"I've tried calling Katniss, she ain't answering."_

"She is on the bike with Haymitch." Effie answered. "Are you…"

" _I'm behind you. I think."_ Gale cut her off.

Peeta glanced in the rear-view mirror – something he hadn't done in far too long because he was a little scared a police car would be chasing after him given how fast he was going – and saw what could have been headlights far behind him. The headlights blinked twice.

"I see you." Peeta confirmed. "Where did you find the car?"

When Katniss had called him, he had been at school and she had told him they couldn't waste time picking him up. Madge had offered to borrow Effie's car and do it but Effie's car, as it turned out, had refused to start. They couldn't tell what was wrong with it, nothing mechanical that Haymitch could see at first glance but he hadn't been willing to waste more time checking it out.

' _Cursed_ 'Cinna had said. _'Someone really don't want you to risk your life fighting that Reaping.'_

Effie hadn't even gotten angry, which had told everyone just how badly she must have been feeling.

" _Stole it."_ Gale explained. " _It's Heavensbee's_. _Fastest I could find."_

And, true to his word, the car behind them easily ate the distance. Soon they could see it was a slick black sport car that Peeta couldn't picture their principal driving.

"Don't follow us too close." Effie cautioned. "If either you or Peeta loses control…"

" _Then go faster."_ Gale ordered. _"I want to make sure my brother is safe."_

"I'm going as fast as I can." Peeta grumbled. Any faster and he was sure he would kill them all before they even reached Capitol Hotel. Those narrow roads in the woods weren't made for speed driving.

"We need to tell him about the plan." Madge reminded him.

"Right." Peeta said and he let Effie do just that but, privately, all he was thinking was that Gale had never been able to respect a plan before and that he didn't see that changing that day of all days. "Do you have your bow?"

" _Please_." the other boy scoffed as if it was the stupidest question ever.

Peeta took a deep breath, held it for a moment and then let it out slowly.

Effie shot him a commiserating look.

At least, he wasn't the only one who doubted Gale.

°O°O°O°O°

The sky was slowly turning a sick reddish color that had Prim shifting uncomfortably in her spot. She had never been afraid of the dark, not really – at least not before she had been kidnapped by vampires – but she was hyper aware of the fact that, soon, it would be pitch black and…

"My brother keeps calling." Rory grumbled with annoyance, hiding his phone in his bag to better reject the call without alerting the adults who were patrolling around them, still lecturing about eclipses and the sun and… "It's like he forgot I'm in class or something…"

She jotted a few notes down, the dread in her stomach increasing another notch.

She managed to ignore it two more minutes before giving in to that strange feeling. She reached inside her own bag, discreetly checking her own phone. She had to wait for it to power up because she always turned it off when she was in class – like everyone was _supposed_ to do – and since it was a very old model it always took a while for it to light up and… She had two missed calls from Effie, three from Katniss, one from Peeta and six from Madge…

The dread and the guilt blended into something that she could only call survival instinct.

"We need to get out of here." she whispered, dropping her notebook.

Rory looked at her as if she had grown a second head. "You want to _skip_? _Now_?"

She was already standing up, her breathing coming much too quick because she was starting to panic. How was she supposed to convince _everyone_ to go back to the busses and _leave?_ The teacher was looking at her, _everyone_ was looking at her, curious and maybe a little relieved by the interruption.

"Primrose? Is everything alright?" the teacher asked with a touch of concern.

Because Prim was a good kid, she was at the top of her class and she never caused problems. She would _never_ stand up in the middle of a class or a field trip unless she wasn't feeling well or…

Prim opened and closed her mouth, aware that nothing she could say would prompt anyone to move. What _could_ she say?

 _Katniss_ would know.

She caught sight of a movement from the corner of her eyes and she turned to the hotel that stood in the distance just in time to see someone confidently stroll out.

The figure was cloaked and the hood hid her face but she could tell it was a woman by the way she moved.

 _A witch,_ she was ready to bet.

"Primrose?" the teacher asked again, now more irritated than concerned.

She was out of time.

°O°O°O°O°

The bike raced through the windy dirt roads so fast Katniss wasn't sure how Haymitch was controlling it. It was all she could do to cling to his back, regularly bumping her chin against the pommel of the sword that hung between his shoulder blades. The speed was such that she was certain that if she loosened her grip even slightly, her body would slide backward and she would fall.

She hadn't properly checked her quiver and the strap was digging painfully in her neck.

She could barely glimpse anything but even behind the thick protective visor of the helmet she could see the sky was turning darker. A reddish sort of darkness.

Haymitch suddenly leaned forward and Katniss followed the movement because it was that or getting whisked off. They were almost bent in two over the bike and she didn't understand what he was doing until the bike lurched even faster.

She hadn't thought it was possible.

It seemed impossibly dangerous because there was no way he was fully controlling their mad dash.

But she knew why he was taking the risk…

They were out of time.

* * *

 _*cue to Highway To Hell playing in the background* (sorry i just had a flashback of finnick dying to that song in the zombie au XD oooopsie)_

 _Soooooo... Prim is in trouuuuuuble. Will they get there in time? Will it end badly? Is Portia alright? WHO KNOWS._

 _Well, me... Me I know HAHAHHA_

 _Tell me your thoughts! (and if you have prognocstics about who lives and dies!)_


End file.
